First Reading
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
Moses said to the people: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. In your observance of the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I enjoin upon you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it. Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’ For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”
Second Reading
James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
Dearest brothers and sisters: All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Gospel Cycle Cycle B
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. — For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. –So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile. “From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”
At first reading, the portions of scripture that we read today are very clear: God reveals His law and we are to follow it; we are not to add to it nor to subtract from it. We are to know the difference between what God asks of us and what human tradition has added to our religious practice.
The book of Deuteronomy reflects a very common kind of exhortation in legal religious codes of a primitive type. We should not be surprised that our ancestors in the faith felt that the way they lived would reflect the greatness of their God.
This understanding can open us up immediately to insights into the early Christians, who were known for their love for one another. The way that they lived reflected so clearly the power and might of God that others stood in awe.
Almost all religious practice gets caught up in human traditions. From the simple commandments that we find in Deuteronomy we progress to a very intricate understanding of how God’s laws are to be observed, handed down in the groups who claimed to follow this law. In the time of Jesus we have Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees—each with an understanding of how to live out God’s law.
Our Christian history is no better! We have thousands of Christians Churches claiming to follow the Gospels and yet willing to say that other Christian Churches are wrong.
All of this should make us aware of the incredible challenge of living a true Christian life. Some people get so disturbed by the Church interpretations of the Scriptures that they simply no longer go to Church. Sometimes such people are jokingly called “blue domers” because they are convinced that it is better to be out under the blue dome of the sky that inside a Church with other believers.
The point of the readings today seems very clear: we must not confuse religious external practice with the deep realities of the divine spirit.
Does that mean that we are better off under the blue dome of the sky? That does not seem likely, since our Lord Jesus really called people to form community and to pray together. All His early followers set about forming communities. We need to look at that reality before rushing out of Church to give God glory alone and under the beauty of the sky!!
And can there be one true Church? Yes, absolutely! But this can never imply disdain or hatred for others.
We Catholics believe that Jesus is the unique Saviour of the world and that all who are saved, are saved through Him. How that works out, we are not given to know in every instance.
We Catholics believe that our Church is the one true Church. How that truth relates to the presence of God in other Churches, we are still exploring.
One thing we know for sure is that we must have hearts on fire with the love of God. And that is the message of the Gospel and of the second reading today. We can never confuse practices with the deepest conversion of our hearts—and yet we should never despise practice.
The Letter of James is clear: be doers of the Word and not hearers only. Let us ask for this grace.