SEPTEMBER 2, 2018
9:00AM, 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES
“You can’t judge a book by its cover,” is an idiom with origins in the mid 19th century. It is a metaphor which admonishes the listener to go beyond an external appearance to understand what lies beneath … to question first impressions, and to seek more information regarding an individual, or a thing.
Today is the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
In the Gospel, Jesus is confronted with the Pharisees who ask why his disciples do not follow the traditions of their elders.
What is going on here is that the Law of Moses, which is enumerated first in Exodus, and then in Deuteronomy – where today’s first reading is taken from. The Pharisees took this Law, and wrote their own laws in order to build a hedge or a wall around the Law. Subsequent generations added more laws – or more walls – until there were 613 additional rules (365 negative admonitions … or “thou shalt not’s”, and 288 positive admonitions … or “thou shalt’s”).
The emphasis was on the outside – with little understanding of what was going on inside.
Jesus breaks through the wall and indicates that too much effort has been going into external appearances and that the original purpose of the Law – to help the People of Israel grow in holiness – has been obscured if not entirely lost.
The reading we hear today is a bit of a cut-and-past of the 7th Chapter of St. Mark. In the full text, we can hear the Pharisees accusations and condemnations against Jesus and his followers, followed by Jesus’ declaration of the purpose of the Law, and his explanation to His disciples.
While we get all four points in the edited version, there is something to be said for reading the entire text.
Jesus points out that cleanliness and uncleanliness are not brought about by arbitrary external works, but rather by what is within a person – what is in their hearts. And that the Law was meant to draw the hearts of the Israelites to God.
At the time of Moses, the pagan rites were arbitrary acts meant to control the weather or the harvest – random things that are not able to be controlled. Moses’ words speak of “wisdom and intelligence,” and again, these are internal attributes of individual, which were meant to bring about a change in the hearts and minds of the Israelites.
St. James repeats a similar theme in telling his listeners – and us as well – to welcome God’s word which is planted in us and allow it to save us. But rather than a passive hearing, St. James pushes us to go further and to be “doers of the word” and to perform works of mercy.
In that, the grace from God that fills us … should motivate us to live out a life worthy of the Gospel
The news continues regarding the scandal in the Church. And I spoke about it last week. This week, I want to encourage you to not put your faith in wicked and sinful men who seek to honor God with their lips, but their hearts and actions are far from God.
There is a battle going on for the soul of the Church – and in that, for your soul as well.
We must trust God, whom St. James calls “the Father of Lights”, and welcome the light being shined upon the darkness of this scandal. This must be confronted head on with transparency, humility, and above all truth. For truth is not an opinion – Truth is a Person – Jesus Christ Himself has told us that He is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.
We must speak the truth in charity, and move to clean the house of the Church – which requires opening up the windows and closets and cupboards, and getting to work removing the rot, and muck, and filth that has accumulated over time. Reparation calls us to fix what we didn’t break; and to repair what we haven’t damaged. This is Our Lady’s call to us from Fatima.
Our job is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ – who is Our Salvation and Our Hope.
As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, let us beg for the infinite graces of so Blessed a Sacrament. And let us work and pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom … and for the Triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.
