Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 408
Lectionary: 408
The following
message came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book.
For thus says the LORD:
Incurable is your wound,
grievous your bruise;
There is none to plead your cause,
no remedy for your running sore,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not seek you.
I struck you as an enemy would strike,
punished you cruelly;
Why cry out over your wound?
your pain is without relief.
Because of your great guilt,
your numerous sins,
I have done this to you.
Thus says the LORD:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the LORD.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book.
For thus says the LORD:
Incurable is your wound,
grievous your bruise;
There is none to plead your cause,
no remedy for your running sore,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not seek you.
I struck you as an enemy would strike,
punished you cruelly;
Why cry out over your wound?
your pain is without relief.
Because of your great guilt,
your numerous sins,
I have done this to you.
Thus says the LORD:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the LORD.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
Responsorial Psalm PS 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 AND 22-23
R. (17) The Lord will build up Zion again, and
appear in all his glory.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the LORD may be declared on Zion;
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the LORD may be declared on Zion;
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Gospel MT 14:22-36
Jesus made the
disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.
Some Pharisees and
scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”
He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
“Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?”
He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit.
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”
He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
“Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?”
He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit.
Meditation: "It is I - have no fear"
Does the Lord seem distant when
trials or adversity come your way? It was at Jesus' initiative that the
disciples sailed across the lake, only to find themselves in a life-threatening
storm. Although they were experienced fishermen, they feared for their lives.
While Jesus was not with them in the boat, he, nonetheless watched for them in
prayer. When he perceived their trouble he came to them on the sea and startled
them with his sudden appearance. Do you look for the Lord's presence when you
encounter difficulty or challenges?This dramatic incident on the sea of Galilee revealed Peter's character more fully than others. Here we see Peter's impulsivity - his tendency to act without thinking of what he was doing. He often failed and came to grief as a result of his impulsiveness. In contrast, Jesus always bade his disciples to see how difficult it was to follow him before they set out on the way he taught them. A great deal of failure in the Christian life is due to acting on impulse and emotional fervor without counting the cost. Peter, fortunately in the moment of his failure clutched at Jesus and held him firmly. Every time Peter fell, he rose again. His failures only made him love the Lord more deeply and trust him more intently. The Lord keeps watch over us at all times, and especially in our moments of temptation and difficulty. Do you rely on the Lord for his strength and help? Jesus assures us that we have no need of fear if we trust in Him and in his great love for us. When calamities or trials threaten to overwhelm you, how do you respond? With faith and hope in God's love, care and presence with you?
"Lord Jesus, help me to trust you always and to never doubt your presence and your power to help me. In my moments of doubt and weakness, may I cling to you as Peter did. Strengthen my faith that I may walk straight in the path you set before me, neither veering to the left nor to the right".
 Follow the Wise, Not the Learned |
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August 5, 2014. Tuesday of the Eighteenth
Week in Ordinary Time
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Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14
Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from
Jerusalem and said, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the
elders? They do not wash (their) hands when they eat a meal." He
summoned the crowd and said to them, "Hear and understand. It is not
what enters one´s mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the
mouth is what defiles one." Then his disciples approached and said to
him, "Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what
you said?" He said in reply, "Every plant that my heavenly Father
has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides (of
the blind). If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a
pit."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, give me
knowledge of your ways so that I can love the path you have drawn out for me
and have hope in every step along its way. I humble myself before you,
because you continually show me that your ways are not our ways. I thank you,
for this is where I find true happiness.
Petition: Lord Jesus, teach me your
ways.
1. Tradition and Traditions: Christ
is telling us about the essentials. The Pharisees had amassed a great number
of traditions. Many of these were made in good faith and helped man progress
in virtue, but they missed the mark. They replaced a loving relationship with
rituals. Let us get back to what is essential in our life with Christ. Do I
give more importance to my customs and likes, rather than to what Christ asks
of me through his Church? Am I missing the mark by putting more focus on the
means to the end, rather than on the end itself – Christ?
2. The Interior Man: What comes out
of a man’s mouth shows who he is; it shows what he values in his heart.
Either we will hear words that are permeated with God’s love, or we will hear
all types of vile and foul speech. We will see if a man is self-centered or
centered on the needs of others. We will understand who sees himself as an
instrument of God and who uses God as an instrument to his success. What is
inside of man always comes out in his speech.
3. True Leadership: Man is to follow
the wisdom of God. A person filled with wisdom knows how best to help another
person attain his goal: unity with Christ. There are many types of plants (people)
out there; we must follow those which have been sown with the wisdom of God.
We need help discerning which plants come from our Lord. We can recognize
them by their fruits, but still we may need a spiritual director to help us
discern the movements of our own soul, so that we don’t fall in the blind
man’s pit.
Conversation with Christ: Lord
Jesus, we live in a confusing world where people call the bad, “good” and the
good, “bad”. Help me to discern so that I will always have your peace in my
heart.
Resolution: I will make a visit to
our Lord in the Eucharist and ask for the gift of wisdom.
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TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, MATTHEW 14:22-36
(Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Psalm 102)
(Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Psalm 102)
KEY VERSE: "O you of little faith, why did you doubt" (v 31).
READING: After the miraculous multiplication of loaves in the wilderness, Jesus revealed that he was victorious over the destructive forces that would threaten the future Church. When the disciples were alone in a boat as they crossed the turbulent sea at night, a sudden storm threatened to engulf them. Jesus came walking on the sea toward them (see Ps 77:20), and he told his terrified disciples not to be afraid but to have courage. At Jesus' command, Peter walked toward him on the water, but when he took his eyes off him, he began to sink. Grasping Peter by the hand Jesus asked, "Why did you doubt?" (v 31). In essence Jesus was saying, "I am Emmanuel ̶ God who is with you" (Mt 1:23).
REFLECTING: Do I strengthen others when they are afraid?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to trust in you as I face the storms in my life.
Optional Memorial of the Dedication of the
Basilica of St. Mary in Rome
The most important church in the city of Rome dedicated to Our Lady is the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. It was erected around the year 352, during the reign of Pope Liberius (352-366). According to legend, a member of an aristocratic family, John and his wife were childless. They prayed that the Blessed Mother might intercede for them so that they would have an heir to bequeath their wealth. They were favored with a dream in which Our Lady appeared to them on the night of August 4-5. She requested that they build a church in her honor on the Esquiline hill. The sign to accompany this dream was that the exact location would be marked out in snow. The Basilica has been called Our Lady of the Snows in commemoration of the miraculous snowfall. Pope Sixtus III (432-440) rebuilt and embellished the basilica. From the seventh century onward, it was referred to as St. Mary the Great or Major.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
In Awe of Life
For now, begin to look at your body and your soul with wonder.
With every morsel you eat, do not presume to understand the mystery that you
are. Instead be in awe of each moment of life that courses through your veins,
of each breath you inhale and exhale.
The Lord will build up Zion again,
and appear in all his glory
‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be
uprooted.’German poet Goethe tells us: ‘Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.’ Jesus, in his encounter with these Pharisees, is not looking to overturn tradition or ritual for the sake of doing so, but asks his disciples to question whether it is of the Father. He tells us that the work and goodness of God should not be at the mercy of anything else. God has granted us many things in creation, worship and relationship. But we are always called to discern. Do I engage in those things that matter the least? Things which are not of God? Lord, grant me the wisdom to know what is of you, and the courage to challenge that which is not.
August
5
Dedication of St. Mary Major Basilica
Dedication of St. Mary Major Basilica
First raised at the order of Pope Liberius in the mid-fourth
century, the Liberian basilica was rebuilt by Pope Sixtus III shortly after the
Council of Ephesus affirmed Mary’s title as Mother of God in 431. Rededicated
at that time to the Mother of God, St. Mary Major is the largest church in the
world honoring God through Mary. Standing atop one of Rome’s seven hills, the
Esquiline, it has survived many restorations without losing its character as an
early Roman basilica. Its interior retains three naves divided by colonnades in
the style of Constantine’s era. Fifth-century mosaics on its walls testify to
its antiquity.
St. Mary
Major is one of the four Roman basilicas known as patriarchal cathedrals in
memory of the first centers of the Church. St. John Lateran (November 9)
represents Rome, the See of Peter; St. Paul Outside the Walls, the See of
Alexandria, allegedly the see presided over by Mark (April 25); St. Peter’s,
the See of Constantinople; and St. Mary’s, the See of Antioch, where Mary is
supposed to have spent most of her life.
One
legend, unreported before the year 1000, gives another name to this feast: Our
Lady of the Snows. According to that story, a wealthy Roman couple pledged
their fortune to the Mother of God. In affirmation, she produced a miraculous
summer snowfall and told them to build a church on the site. The legend was
long celebrated by releasing a shower of white rose petals from the basilica’s
dome every August 5.
Comment:
Theological debate over Christ’s nature as God and man reached fever pitch in Constantinople in the early fifth century. The chaplain of Bishop Nestorius began preaching against the title Theotokos, “Mother of God,” insisting that the Virgin was mother only of the human Jesus. Nestorius agreed, decreeing that Mary would henceforth be named “Mother of Christ” in his see. The people of Constantinople virtually revolted against their bishop’s refutation of a cherished belief. When the Council of Ephesus refuted Nestorius, believers took to the streets, enthusiastically chanting, “Theotokos! Theotokos!"
Theological debate over Christ’s nature as God and man reached fever pitch in Constantinople in the early fifth century. The chaplain of Bishop Nestorius began preaching against the title Theotokos, “Mother of God,” insisting that the Virgin was mother only of the human Jesus. Nestorius agreed, decreeing that Mary would henceforth be named “Mother of Christ” in his see. The people of Constantinople virtually revolted against their bishop’s refutation of a cherished belief. When the Council of Ephesus refuted Nestorius, believers took to the streets, enthusiastically chanting, “Theotokos! Theotokos!"
Quote:
“From the earliest times the Blessed Virgin is honored under the title of Mother of God, in whose protection the faithful take refuge together in prayer in all their perils and needs. Accordingly, following the Council of Ephesus, there was a remarkable growth in the cult of the People of God towards Mary, in veneration and love, in invocation and imitation...” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 66).
“From the earliest times the Blessed Virgin is honored under the title of Mother of God, in whose protection the faithful take refuge together in prayer in all their perils and needs. Accordingly, following the Council of Ephesus, there was a remarkable growth in the cult of the People of God towards Mary, in veneration and love, in invocation and imitation...” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 66).
LECTIO DIVINA:
MATTHEW 15,1-2.10-14
Lectio:
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
1) Opening prayer
Father of everlasting goodness,
our origin and guide,
be close to us
and hear the prayers of all who praise you.
Forgive our sins and restore us to life.
Keep us safe in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
our origin and guide,
be close to us
and hear the prayers of all who praise you.
Forgive our sins and restore us to life.
Keep us safe in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 15,1-2.10-14
Then Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to Jesus and
said, 'Why do your disciples break away from the tradition of the elders? They
eat without washing their hands.'
He called the people to him and said, 'Listen, and understand. What goes into the mouth does not make anyone unclean; it is what comes out of the mouth that makes someone unclean.' Then the disciples came to him and said, 'Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked when they heard what you said?'
He replied, 'Any plant my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind; and if one blind person leads another, both will fall into a pit.'
He called the people to him and said, 'Listen, and understand. What goes into the mouth does not make anyone unclean; it is what comes out of the mouth that makes someone unclean.' Then the disciples came to him and said, 'Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked when they heard what you said?'
He replied, 'Any plant my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind; and if one blind person leads another, both will fall into a pit.'
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel presents the discussion of Jesus with the
Pharisees regarding what is pure and impure. The text speaks about the use and
religious customs of that time, it speaks about the Pharisees who taught these
uses and customs to the people and it also speaks about the instructions which
Jesus gives regarding these uses and customs, many of which had already lost
their significance. Here in the 15th chapter, Jesus helps the
people and the Disciples to understand better this very important theme
concerning the purity and the law of purity.
• Matthew 15, 1-2: The Pharisees criticize the behaviour of the Disciples of Jesus. Some Pharisees and diverse doctors of the Law came to Jesus and asked: “Why do your disciples break away from the tradition of the elder? They eat without washing their hands!” They pretend to be interested to know the reason for the behaviour of the disciples. In reality, they criticize Jesus because he allows the Disciples to break the norms of purity. There are three points which deserve to be indicated: (a) The Scribes are from Jerusalem, from the capital. They have come to observe what Jesus does. (b) The Disciples do not wash their hands before eating! Living with Jesus gives them the courage to break the norms which tradition imposed upon people, but which no longer had any sense for life. (c) The use to wash the hands, continues even now to be an important norm of hygiene, but had assumed for them a religious significance which served to control and discriminate persons.
• The Tradition of the Elders (Mtt 15,3-9). “The Tradition of the Elders” transmitted the norms which had to be observed by the people in order to obtain the purity which the law demanded. The observance of the Law was something very serious. An impure or unclean person could not receive the blessing promised by God to Abraham. The norms of the Law of purity taught how to recover purity in order to be able to appear once again before God and to feel at ease in his presence. One could not appear before God just in any way, because God is the Holy One and the Law said: “Be holy because I am Holy!” (Lv 19, 2). The norms of purity were, in reality, a prison, a slavery Cf. Mt 23, 4). For the poor, it was practically impossible to observe them: to touch a leper, to eat with a tax collector, to eat without washing one’s hands, and so many other activities. All these things rendered the person impure, and any contact with a person contaminated the others. This is why, people lived with fear, always threatened by the many impure things which threatened their life. They were obliged to live, fearing everything and everyone. Insisting on the norms of purity, the Pharisees arrived at emptying the sense of the commandments of the Law of God. Jesus gives a concrete example. They said: a person who consecrates his goods to the Temple, can no longer use those good to help the needy. Thus, in the name of tradition, they eliminated the significance of the fourth commandment which orders to love father and mother (Mt 15, 3-6). These persons seemed to be very observant, but they were so only externally. In their interior, the heart was far away from God! Jesus said, quoting Isaiah: These people honour me with the lips, but their heart is far away from me (Mt 15, 7-9). The wisdom of the people, no longer agreed with what was taught, and they were waiting for the Messiah to come to indicate another way in which to attain purity. This hope is realized in Jesus. Through his word he purified the lepers (Mk 1, 40-44), cast out the unclean demons (Mk 1, 26.39; 3, 15.22 etc), and conquered death which was the source of all impurity. Jesus touches the woman who was excluded, and she is cured (Mk 5, 25-34). Without the fear of being contaminated, Jesus eats with persons who were considered impure (Mk 2, 15-17).
• Matthew 15, 10-11: Jesus opens a new way to get people close to God. He tells the crowds: “Listen and understand! What goes into the mouth does not make anyone unclean: it is what comes out of the mouth that makes someone unclean!” Jesus inverts things: What is impure does not come from outside toward inside, like the doctors of the law taught, but from inside toward outside. In this way, nobody has need to ask himself if this or that food or drink is pure or impure. Jesus places what is clean and unclean on another level, the level of ethical behaviour. He opens a new path in order to reach God and in this way, he realizes the deepest desire of the people: to be in peace with God. Now, all of a sudden everything changes! Through faith in Jesus, it was possible to attain purity and to feel well before God, without the need of observing all those norms of the “Tradition of the Elders”. This was liberation! The Good News announced by Jesus liberates people from the defensive, from fear and gives them back the will to live, the joy of being sons and daughters of God.
• Matthew 15, 12-14: Jesus affirms again what he had already said. The disciples tell Jesus that his words have scandalized the Pharisees, because they said exactly the contrary of what the Pharisees taught the people. Because if the people had lived seriously the new teaching of Jesus, the whole tradition of the elders would have to be abolished and the Pharisees and the Doctors of the Law would have lost their leadership and their source of income. Jesus’ response is clear and leaves no doubts: “Any plant my Heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled out by the roots. Leave them alone! They are blind leaders of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into the pit”. Jesus does not diminish the impact of his words and he reaffirms what he had said before.
• Matthew 15, 1-2: The Pharisees criticize the behaviour of the Disciples of Jesus. Some Pharisees and diverse doctors of the Law came to Jesus and asked: “Why do your disciples break away from the tradition of the elder? They eat without washing their hands!” They pretend to be interested to know the reason for the behaviour of the disciples. In reality, they criticize Jesus because he allows the Disciples to break the norms of purity. There are three points which deserve to be indicated: (a) The Scribes are from Jerusalem, from the capital. They have come to observe what Jesus does. (b) The Disciples do not wash their hands before eating! Living with Jesus gives them the courage to break the norms which tradition imposed upon people, but which no longer had any sense for life. (c) The use to wash the hands, continues even now to be an important norm of hygiene, but had assumed for them a religious significance which served to control and discriminate persons.
• The Tradition of the Elders (Mtt 15,3-9). “The Tradition of the Elders” transmitted the norms which had to be observed by the people in order to obtain the purity which the law demanded. The observance of the Law was something very serious. An impure or unclean person could not receive the blessing promised by God to Abraham. The norms of the Law of purity taught how to recover purity in order to be able to appear once again before God and to feel at ease in his presence. One could not appear before God just in any way, because God is the Holy One and the Law said: “Be holy because I am Holy!” (Lv 19, 2). The norms of purity were, in reality, a prison, a slavery Cf. Mt 23, 4). For the poor, it was practically impossible to observe them: to touch a leper, to eat with a tax collector, to eat without washing one’s hands, and so many other activities. All these things rendered the person impure, and any contact with a person contaminated the others. This is why, people lived with fear, always threatened by the many impure things which threatened their life. They were obliged to live, fearing everything and everyone. Insisting on the norms of purity, the Pharisees arrived at emptying the sense of the commandments of the Law of God. Jesus gives a concrete example. They said: a person who consecrates his goods to the Temple, can no longer use those good to help the needy. Thus, in the name of tradition, they eliminated the significance of the fourth commandment which orders to love father and mother (Mt 15, 3-6). These persons seemed to be very observant, but they were so only externally. In their interior, the heart was far away from God! Jesus said, quoting Isaiah: These people honour me with the lips, but their heart is far away from me (Mt 15, 7-9). The wisdom of the people, no longer agreed with what was taught, and they were waiting for the Messiah to come to indicate another way in which to attain purity. This hope is realized in Jesus. Through his word he purified the lepers (Mk 1, 40-44), cast out the unclean demons (Mk 1, 26.39; 3, 15.22 etc), and conquered death which was the source of all impurity. Jesus touches the woman who was excluded, and she is cured (Mk 5, 25-34). Without the fear of being contaminated, Jesus eats with persons who were considered impure (Mk 2, 15-17).
• Matthew 15, 10-11: Jesus opens a new way to get people close to God. He tells the crowds: “Listen and understand! What goes into the mouth does not make anyone unclean: it is what comes out of the mouth that makes someone unclean!” Jesus inverts things: What is impure does not come from outside toward inside, like the doctors of the law taught, but from inside toward outside. In this way, nobody has need to ask himself if this or that food or drink is pure or impure. Jesus places what is clean and unclean on another level, the level of ethical behaviour. He opens a new path in order to reach God and in this way, he realizes the deepest desire of the people: to be in peace with God. Now, all of a sudden everything changes! Through faith in Jesus, it was possible to attain purity and to feel well before God, without the need of observing all those norms of the “Tradition of the Elders”. This was liberation! The Good News announced by Jesus liberates people from the defensive, from fear and gives them back the will to live, the joy of being sons and daughters of God.
• Matthew 15, 12-14: Jesus affirms again what he had already said. The disciples tell Jesus that his words have scandalized the Pharisees, because they said exactly the contrary of what the Pharisees taught the people. Because if the people had lived seriously the new teaching of Jesus, the whole tradition of the elders would have to be abolished and the Pharisees and the Doctors of the Law would have lost their leadership and their source of income. Jesus’ response is clear and leaves no doubts: “Any plant my Heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled out by the roots. Leave them alone! They are blind leaders of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into the pit”. Jesus does not diminish the impact of his words and he reaffirms what he had said before.
4) Personal questions
•Do you know any religious use today which no longer has any
sense, but which continues to be taught? In your life are there some uses and
customs which are considered sacred, and others which are not?
• The Pharisees were practising Jews, but their faith was separated from the life of the people. This is why Jesus criticizes them. And today, would Jesus criticize us? In what things?
• The Pharisees were practising Jews, but their faith was separated from the life of the people. This is why Jesus criticizes them. And today, would Jesus criticize us? In what things?
5) Concluding Prayer
The angel of Yahweh encamps
around those who fear him, and rescues them.
Taste and see that Yahweh is good.
How blessed are those who take refuge in him. (Ps 34,7-8)
around those who fear him, and rescues them.
Taste and see that Yahweh is good.
How blessed are those who take refuge in him. (Ps 34,7-8)
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