Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 - James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27 - Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
"What's going on in your heart?"
Here we go again with Jesus and the Pharisees; this time, there is a controversy over purification rules and the nature of true religion.
The Pharisees challenged Jesus because his followers failed to perform the required cleansing rituals. Jesus, in turn, confronts his opponents on their lip service and proclamations about goodness. He accuses them of being preoccupied with superficial observances, "human precepts," while they "disregard God's commandments."
Jesus really wasn't talking about how we eat or how we wash our hands but about our hearts. He is looking for inner transformation that flows into actions of mercy, justice, and love. Where is our heart in our religious practices? Is it hardened, or does it show compassion for others?
Consider the conflict in our world today. Hatred and violence abound. Have we forgotten about the needs of the weakest and most marginalized among us?
Jesus is reminding the Pharisees and us that God's commandments call us to love. They are a guide to a better life and can be a source of genuine truth and freedom. Each day, we have many opportunities to love and serve Jesus in various situations. Instead of worrying about "human precepts," consider how we can be more loving, caring, and compassionate each day.
What is at the heart of our daily religious practices? Are they done out of habit and routine, or do they reveal a genuine love for God and compassion for others? Our interior must be transformed first, and then exterior practices will flow naturally.
What first step can I take to improve the condition of my heart?
Today, September 1st, is also the Word Day of Prayer for Creation. In Pope Francis' "Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation," he is quite clear about how we should respond as a people of faith. To quote section 9: "To hope and act with creation, then, means to live an incarnational faith, one that can enter into the suffering and hope-filled "flesh" of others. In this way, our lives can become a song of love for God, for humanity, with and for creation, and find their fullness in holiness."
This "song of love" will widen our hearts to embrace all creation and encourage us to recognize the divine presence within all creation.
Sr. Mary Ann Collins, OP
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