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
PsalmPS 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.
AlleluiaJN 1:49B
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 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."
Meditation: "It is I - have no fear"
Does the Lord Jesus 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?
Fight fear with faith
This dramatic incident on the sea of Galilee revealed Peter's character more fully than others. Here we see Peter's impulsiveness - 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.
This dramatic incident on the sea of Galilee revealed Peter's character more fully than others. Here we see Peter's impulsiveness - 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".
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Welcoming the Lord Jesus with expectant
faith and humility, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"While human praise does not tempt the Lord,
people are often ruffled and nearly entranced by human praise and honors in the
church. Peter was afraid on the sea, terrified by the great force of the storm.
Indeed, who does not fear that voice: 'Those who say you are happy place you in
error and disturb the path of your feet' (Isaiah
3:12 Vulgate translation)? And since the soul struggles against the
desire for human praise, it is good for it to turn to prayer and petition amid
such danger, lest one who is charmed by praise be overcome by criticism and
reproach. Let Peter, about to sink in the waves, cry out and say, 'Lord, save
me!' The Lord reached out his hand. He chided Peter, saying, 'O man of little
faith, why did you doubt?' - that is, why did you not, gazing straight at the
Lord as you approached, pride yourself only in him? Nevertheless he snatched
Peter from the waves and did not allow him who was declaring his weakness and
asking the Lord for help to perish." (excerpt
from SERMON 75:10)
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 7, MATTHEW 14:22-36 or MATTHEW 15:1-2, 10-14
Weekday
(Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Psalm 102)
Weekday
(Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Psalm 102)
KEY VERSE: "O you of little faith, why did you doubt" (v. 31).
TO KNOW: 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. As the disciples crossed the turbulent sea at night, they were alone in a boat. Suddenly, a storm threatened to engulf them. When Jesus came walking on the sea toward them (see Ps 77:20) they cried out “It is a ghost” (v. 26). 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 Jesus, 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). Those who had doubted now declared Jesus to be the "Son of God." Jesus’ acts of power are followed by a controversy with the Pharisees and scribes over his disciples’ failure to observe the rules of ritual uncleanness. Jesus declared that there is only moral impurity. Only a firm faith in Jesus as the authoritative interpreter of the law could allow his followers to accept his radical teaching.
TO LOVE: How can I overcome fear and focus on Jesus when I face trials?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to trust you as I face the storms in my life.
Optional Memorial of Saint Sixtus
II, pope and martyr, and companions
Sixtus II was pope from 257 to 258. Sixtus was more conciliatory than his predecessor, Stephen, over the question of whether lapsed Christians should be re-baptized before being allowed back into the Church. Sixtus was willing to let bishops decide what to do in their own areas and accepted both practices. Sixtus restored the relations with the African and Eastern churches, which had been broken on the question of heretical baptism. In the persecutions under Emperor Valerian I in 258, numerous priests and bishops were put to death. Pope Sixtus was one of the first victims of this persecution. He was captured by soldiers while giving a sermon and perhaps beheaded right there, along with four deacons. He was buried in the same catacomb where he had been celebrating Mass when he was arrested. He died as a martyr.
Optional Memorial of Saint
Cajetan, priest
Cajetan was born in 1480 at Vicenza, Italy, and was a Venetian nobleman. He studied law in Padua, and was offered governing posts, but turned them down for a religious vocation. Cajetan entered a religious community to serve the sick and poor, and in 1522, he founded a hospital in Venice for victims of incurable illness. Cajetan was aware of the need of reformation in the Church. With three others, including John Peter Caraffa who later became Pope Paul IV, Cajetan formed the Congregation of Clerks Regular at Rome (Theatines), with the mission of fostering the Church's mission and reviving the spirit and zeal of the clergy. Cajetan founded a bank to help the poor and offered an alternative to usurers (loan sharks), Later it became the Bank of Naples. Cajetan died in 1547 at Naples, Italy. He was canonized 1671 by Pope Clement X.
Tuesday 7 August
2018
Jeremiah 30:1–2, 12–15, 18–22. Psalm 101(102):16–21, 29, 22-23
Matthew 14:22–36.
The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his
glory—Psalm 101(102):16-21,29, 22-23
‘I shall restore the tents of Jacob.’
The relationship between God and God’s people is revealed in the
readings today – perhaps most vividly in the Gospel when Jesus appears to walk
on water. Jesus shows the disciples the difference between fear and faith. The
Old Testament readings reveal a God who hears the prayers of the destitute, the
groans of the prisoners and sets free those doomed to die.
What parts of my life would be different if I had more faith?
Do I spend my time hanging on to feelings of hurt and
abandonment?
Do I give thanks for moments of grace and healing?
Do I hear the cries of those in need?
Saint Cajetan
Saint of the Day for August 7
(October 1, 1480 – August 7, 1547)
 |
| Saint Cajetan \ sculptor: Pedro Alonso de los Ríos |
Saint Cajetan’s Story
Like most of us, Cajetan seemed headed for an “ordinary”
life—first as a lawyer, then as a priest engaged in the work of the Roman
Curia.
His life took a characteristic turn when he joined the Oratory
of Divine Love in Rome, a group devoted to piety and charity, shortly after his
ordination at 36. When he was 42 he founded a hospital for incurables at
Venice. At Vicenza, he joined a “disreputable” religious community that
consisted only of men of the lowest stations of life—and was roundly censured
by his friends, who thought his action was a reflection on his family. He
sought out the sick and poor of the town and served them.
The greatest need of the time was the reformation of a Church
that was “sick in head and members.” Cajetan and three friends decided that the
best road to reformation lay in reviving the spirit and zeal of the clergy.
Together they founded a congregation known as the Theatines—from Teate [Chieti]
where their first superior-bishop had his see. One of the friends later became
Pope Paul IV.
They managed to escape to Venice after their house in Rome was
wrecked when Emperor Charles V’s troops sacked Rome in 1527. The Theatines were
outstanding among the Catholic reform movements that took shape before the
Protestant Reformation. Cajetan founded a monte de pieta—“mountain
or fund of piety”—in Naples, one of many charitable, nonprofit credit
organizations that lent money on the security of pawned objects. The purpose
was to help the poor and protect them against usurers. Cajetan’s little
organization ultimately became the Bank of Naples, with great changes in
policy.
Reflection
If Vatican II had been summarily stopped after its first session
in 1962, many Catholics would have felt that a great blow had been dealt to the
growth of the Church. Cajetan had the same feeling about the Council of Trent,
held from 1545 to 1563. But as he said, God is the same in Naples as in Venice,
with or without Trent or Vatican II. We open ourselves to God’s power in
whatever circumstances we find ourselves, and God’s will is done. God’s
standards of success differ from ours.
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW
15,1-2.10-14
Lectio Divina:
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
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)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét