BIBLE STUDY #108
TWENTY SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
September 30, 2012
READING 1
NUMBERS 11:25-29
The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.
Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses,
the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders;
and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied.
Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad,
were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp.
They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent;
yet the spirit came to rest on them also,
and they prophesied in the camp.
So, when a young man quickly told Moses,
"Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, "
Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses aide, said,
"Moses, my lord, stop them."
But Moses answered him,
"Are you jealous for my sake?
Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!
Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
JAMES 5:1-6
Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,
your gold and silver have corroded,
and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;
it will devour your flesh like a fire.
You have stored up treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;
you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
You have condemned;
you have murdered the righteous one;
he offers you no resistance.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MARK 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
At that time, John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
I think you would agree with me that exclusivity is not uncommon among religious people. It even goes back to the era of Moses. Eldad and Medad received God’s Spirit and were prophesying. They weren’t at the tent of meeting where God’s Spirit came upon the 70 elders who began prophesying. Joshua, Moses aide and future leader of the people is upset and wants Moses to stop them. They weren’t one of the 70 elders, and Joshua thinks that they shouldn’t be prophesying. Moses disagrees. He wishes all could be prophets. Moses won’t have anything to do with Joshua’s petty jealousy. Moses wants all people to share in God’s bounty. God bestows his grace feely to whomever he wishes, and we should be happy when that happens.
In the Gospel, someone is driving out demons in Jesus name, and John protests because “he does not follow us." It seems that the apostles think that they have the exclusive right to Jesus and his mission and they don’t want to share their authority with others. Do they think the power resides in them instead of Jesus? Are they jealous because of their failure to cast out a demon in Mark 9:14-29? Is it a matter of control? Do they think that this exorcist is somehow not worthy?
John wants Jesus to stop him, but Jesus disagrees: If he is exorcising in Jesus name, he must believe in him. Jesus is tolerant of those who may not be part of his group of disciples. This may have been used in the early church to battle factionalism or exclusivity.
Not everyone in the church follows Jesus perfectly. We all misunderstand, make mistakes, and sin. Being tolerant doesn’t mean that we condone people’s mistakes and sins, but that we don’t condemn or exclude the person. How are people going to grow in God’s grace if we exclude them from the one place where God’s grace abounds? After all, we all need to grow in grace and improve our lives, so if all sinners were excluded from church, the church would be empty of people and clergy. We need to preach the Gospel and support each other as we imperfectly try to follow God’s will for us in our lives.
The search for exclusive prestige is a sin to be avoided at all costs. Last week we were reminded that, as followers of Jesus, we were to take up our cross and follow him, that we should not look to be the greatest, but the least. Two weeks ago we heard that if we want to follow Jesus, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him. It seems that John and the other apostles didn’t quite learn these lessons on proper attitude and humility yet.
We must avoid sin and avoid bringing scandal (causing others to sin) through our actions. If we are a bad influence, if we want power and prestige, if we exclude someone who wants to do things in Jesus name, if we do something to harm another’s faith, or if we do anything contrary to Jesus teachings, then we are risking eternal life.
I’ve often thought that we and the world would be a lot better off if we were as concerned about our faith and our standing in front of God as we are about others.
Fr. Phil
Friday, September 28, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
BIBLE STUDY #107
TWENTY FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
September 16, 2012
READING 1
ISAIAH 50:5-9A
The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.
The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let that man confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
JAMES 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
"Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, "
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?
So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.
Indeed someone might say,
"You have faith and I have works."
Demonstrate your faith to me without works,
and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
GOSPEL
MARK 8:27-35
Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that I am?"
They said in reply,
"John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets."
And he asked them,
"But who do you say that I am?"
Peter said to him in reply,
"You are the Christ."
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
We are at a pivotal point in Mark’s Gospel. We have been hearing about Jesus as a teacher and a wonder worker (he has performed many healings, he has fed the five thousand, and has raised Jairus’s daughter form the dead). Mark has been describing Jesus through Jesus’ actions and words, now he wants to tell us who Jesus really is. The rest of the gospel will concentrate more on discipleship (what it means to proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Messiah), although we do learn about Jesus identity in the second half of the gospel, as we heard about discipleship in the first half.
This passage begins at the villages of Caesarea Philippi, which were small settlements, like suburbs surrounding the big city. They are “along the way”, that is, on the way to Jerusalem, where Jesus will suffer and die, and they will face the mystery of the cross and the implications of the cross for discipleship.
One might expect the disciples to ask Jesus questions, but here the master asks questions of the disciples. Mark is using this passage to probe Jesus identity for his readers. Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" The response is, "John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets." Jesus shared in John’s baptism, was connected to john at some point, and shared some of John’s ideas about the Kingdom of God, it is not surprising that Jesus should be identified as John returned to life. Elijah mysteriously departed in 2 Kings and was supposed to return as precursor of the great and terrible day of the lord which led to speculation that Jesus was Elijah returned. It is not surprising that they thought of Jesus as a prophet since he spoke about the coming kingdom of God.
Jesus then puts them on the spot, asking for their own opinion, not what others say, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter, as usual, is the spokesman for the group, and says, "You are the Christ." In Greek, ‘Christ’ means ‘anointed one’, as does the Hebrew word “messiah.’ The messianic expectations of the people were to have a king in the line of King David who would restore justice and the good fortunes of God’s people. In light of Jesus’ acts of power, his claims about sonship, his pivotal role in God’s plan and his sayings about the Temple, he would be seen as the messiah, which would be a threat to the Roman rulers and their Jewish collaborators.
Jesus warns them not to tell anyone; not that he’s afraid of the Romans, but he has to be understood in light of the cross. He is not just a prophet or a miracle worker, but has come to begin the kingdom of God, as well as to conquer sin and death (this is called the messianic secret).
Now we have the first of 3 passion predictions. It is quite likely that Jesus recognized that his teachings and actions would get him in trouble with the Roman and Jewish authorities. But it is in God’s plan that he suffer, die and rise. Remember he tells Peter, “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." It is his death and resurrection that conquers sin and death as well as inaugurates the kingdom of God.
Jesus didn’t fit the mold of a messiah in Jewish contemporary theology of the first century. Peter seemed to be shocked on hearing the passion prediction and rebukes Jesus, who responds, "Get behind me, Satan.” Peter, as well as any other, who tries to deflect Jesus from his mission is Satan, who tempted Jesus and tried to divert him from his mission (see 1:21).
This last section is, to me, one of the most important passages, and defines the whole of Mark’s Gospel. We have found out that Jesus is the suffering messiah, who will die and rise and we are called to follow in his footsteps. We are called to think like God, not like humans who put themselves first. The mystery of our cross is that we will gain life when we lose it in Christ. If we try to save our lives by living for ourselves without Christ, we will, in the long run, lose our life. But if we are absorbed into Christ and his plan for us, we will live a much more fruitful, happy, and successful life because we focus on God’s plan for us, and not our plan for ourselves. The demands of discipleship require a total commitment to Christ by renouncing our needs and sacrificing for Christ. Are we up to it?
The first reading from Isaiah is the third of four servant songs. In it, the suffering servant is one who has not rebelled, gave into the suffering, but still depends on God. No matter what happens, God is his strength and upholds him
The second reading from James is one that we would rather not hear. It calls us to good works, to action. Believing is not sufficient. James is blunt: “So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” It is time to stop navel gazing and go out and do something for someone. I don’t think being in solidarity with someone is good enough. Those in need would rather have our help than our solidarity.
Fr. Phil
TWENTY FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
September 16, 2012
READING 1
ISAIAH 50:5-9A
The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.
The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let that man confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
JAMES 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
"Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, "
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?
So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.
Indeed someone might say,
"You have faith and I have works."
Demonstrate your faith to me without works,
and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
GOSPEL
MARK 8:27-35
Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that I am?"
They said in reply,
"John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets."
And he asked them,
"But who do you say that I am?"
Peter said to him in reply,
"You are the Christ."
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
We are at a pivotal point in Mark’s Gospel. We have been hearing about Jesus as a teacher and a wonder worker (he has performed many healings, he has fed the five thousand, and has raised Jairus’s daughter form the dead). Mark has been describing Jesus through Jesus’ actions and words, now he wants to tell us who Jesus really is. The rest of the gospel will concentrate more on discipleship (what it means to proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Messiah), although we do learn about Jesus identity in the second half of the gospel, as we heard about discipleship in the first half.
This passage begins at the villages of Caesarea Philippi, which were small settlements, like suburbs surrounding the big city. They are “along the way”, that is, on the way to Jerusalem, where Jesus will suffer and die, and they will face the mystery of the cross and the implications of the cross for discipleship.
One might expect the disciples to ask Jesus questions, but here the master asks questions of the disciples. Mark is using this passage to probe Jesus identity for his readers. Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" The response is, "John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets." Jesus shared in John’s baptism, was connected to john at some point, and shared some of John’s ideas about the Kingdom of God, it is not surprising that Jesus should be identified as John returned to life. Elijah mysteriously departed in 2 Kings and was supposed to return as precursor of the great and terrible day of the lord which led to speculation that Jesus was Elijah returned. It is not surprising that they thought of Jesus as a prophet since he spoke about the coming kingdom of God.
Jesus then puts them on the spot, asking for their own opinion, not what others say, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter, as usual, is the spokesman for the group, and says, "You are the Christ." In Greek, ‘Christ’ means ‘anointed one’, as does the Hebrew word “messiah.’ The messianic expectations of the people were to have a king in the line of King David who would restore justice and the good fortunes of God’s people. In light of Jesus’ acts of power, his claims about sonship, his pivotal role in God’s plan and his sayings about the Temple, he would be seen as the messiah, which would be a threat to the Roman rulers and their Jewish collaborators.
Jesus warns them not to tell anyone; not that he’s afraid of the Romans, but he has to be understood in light of the cross. He is not just a prophet or a miracle worker, but has come to begin the kingdom of God, as well as to conquer sin and death (this is called the messianic secret).
Now we have the first of 3 passion predictions. It is quite likely that Jesus recognized that his teachings and actions would get him in trouble with the Roman and Jewish authorities. But it is in God’s plan that he suffer, die and rise. Remember he tells Peter, “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." It is his death and resurrection that conquers sin and death as well as inaugurates the kingdom of God.
Jesus didn’t fit the mold of a messiah in Jewish contemporary theology of the first century. Peter seemed to be shocked on hearing the passion prediction and rebukes Jesus, who responds, "Get behind me, Satan.” Peter, as well as any other, who tries to deflect Jesus from his mission is Satan, who tempted Jesus and tried to divert him from his mission (see 1:21).
This last section is, to me, one of the most important passages, and defines the whole of Mark’s Gospel. We have found out that Jesus is the suffering messiah, who will die and rise and we are called to follow in his footsteps. We are called to think like God, not like humans who put themselves first. The mystery of our cross is that we will gain life when we lose it in Christ. If we try to save our lives by living for ourselves without Christ, we will, in the long run, lose our life. But if we are absorbed into Christ and his plan for us, we will live a much more fruitful, happy, and successful life because we focus on God’s plan for us, and not our plan for ourselves. The demands of discipleship require a total commitment to Christ by renouncing our needs and sacrificing for Christ. Are we up to it?
The first reading from Isaiah is the third of four servant songs. In it, the suffering servant is one who has not rebelled, gave into the suffering, but still depends on God. No matter what happens, God is his strength and upholds him
The second reading from James is one that we would rather not hear. It calls us to good works, to action. Believing is not sufficient. James is blunt: “So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” It is time to stop navel gazing and go out and do something for someone. I don’t think being in solidarity with someone is good enough. Those in need would rather have our help than our solidarity.
Fr. Phil
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
BIBLE STUDY #105
TWENTYSECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
September 2, 2012
READING 1
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?"
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
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.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL 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."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The Torah (the first 5 books of the bible) has many statutes and decrees to follow; but for the people, these statutes and decrees are much more than a set of rules and regulations. Most laws are devised to protect people and their property; Israel's laws were designed to give them life, wisdom and intelligence. It was a living expression of God's love. God tells us how to live -shouldn't that be the best way to live? Our response to God's love is to live out this covenantal relationship every day. As Moses says in the first reading, “Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?"
Over the course of the centuries the rabbis developed laws outside of the Law of Moses called the oral tradition that was considered as binding as the written law. Part of this oral tradition or law, is contained in today’s gospel and is concerned with ritual purity.
This oral tradition or law was designed to protect the Torah like a fence around a house, but it became so lengthy and cumbersome that it was like a wall separating the people form the Torah. The average person couldn’t understand or put all these laws into practice and needed the scribes to tell them what to do. In Matthew 23:4, Jesus criticized these oral laws, calling them a “burden.”
The Pharisees and Scribes want to know why Jesus and his disciples don’t follow these oral laws (the Sadducees reject these oral laws because they aren’t a part of the Law of Moses). Jesus quotes Isaiah in his response. He is calling them hypocrites – they follow all the oral traditions but miss the big issues in God’s Law.
An analogy in today’s terms will help explain the issue at hand. Every once in a while I am approached by someone who wants to know what constitutes fulfilling their obligation to attend Mass. In other words, they want to know how late they can arrive and how early they can leave and still fulfill their obligation to attend Mass (they won’t phrase it this way, but this is what they mean). They may ask me questions like, “I know that I am supposed to arrive before the Gospel, but what if I arrive during the reading of the Gospel – does it count?”
People who ask these types of questions are usually not interested in the real purpose of attending Mass – to be fed by word and sacrament to grow in faith and to lead better Christian lives everyday, but are minimalists and more concerned with meeting obligations than growing in faith and living out their faith.
Another example: there are people who do all the pious ritual actions trying to impress people with their holiness but they ignore the weightier matters of love of God and neighbor. Better to be pious on the inside where only God sees rather than on the outside that people see.
Jesus said that people like this cling to human traditions but disregard God’s commandments. He calls them hypocrites – they are putting on a false front.
People are defiled not by ignoring ritual actions or by what they eat, but are defiled "by evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile."
But notice that Jesus is not abrogating the ritual laws: he is criticizing their misuse. He is criticizing people who only follow the ritual laws and ignore other matters of the law. Leviticus 1-18 lists laws that govern things that cause impurity, but Leviticus 19 mandates justice and charity and rejects the destructive behavior listed in today’s gospel. Similarly, in Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God and each other. It is so important that “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments (vs. 40).”
The rituals and customs we follow are meant to support us in our faith; they are not our faith. We can be a people of faith without the rituals and customs. We can’t be a person of faith if we only follow the rituals and customs.
The letter of James was written to counteract the notion that it was faith alone that saves. By accepting the gospel message, they receive a new birth and they were the first fruits of this new faith. They were to accept the gospel and live in conformity with it, which means being “doers of the word and not hearers only;” if they listen and not act, they are deluding themselves.
Fr. Phil
TWENTYSECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
September 2, 2012
READING 1
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?"
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
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.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL 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."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The Torah (the first 5 books of the bible) has many statutes and decrees to follow; but for the people, these statutes and decrees are much more than a set of rules and regulations. Most laws are devised to protect people and their property; Israel's laws were designed to give them life, wisdom and intelligence. It was a living expression of God's love. God tells us how to live -shouldn't that be the best way to live? Our response to God's love is to live out this covenantal relationship every day. As Moses says in the first reading, “Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?"
Over the course of the centuries the rabbis developed laws outside of the Law of Moses called the oral tradition that was considered as binding as the written law. Part of this oral tradition or law, is contained in today’s gospel and is concerned with ritual purity.
This oral tradition or law was designed to protect the Torah like a fence around a house, but it became so lengthy and cumbersome that it was like a wall separating the people form the Torah. The average person couldn’t understand or put all these laws into practice and needed the scribes to tell them what to do. In Matthew 23:4, Jesus criticized these oral laws, calling them a “burden.”
The Pharisees and Scribes want to know why Jesus and his disciples don’t follow these oral laws (the Sadducees reject these oral laws because they aren’t a part of the Law of Moses). Jesus quotes Isaiah in his response. He is calling them hypocrites – they follow all the oral traditions but miss the big issues in God’s Law.
An analogy in today’s terms will help explain the issue at hand. Every once in a while I am approached by someone who wants to know what constitutes fulfilling their obligation to attend Mass. In other words, they want to know how late they can arrive and how early they can leave and still fulfill their obligation to attend Mass (they won’t phrase it this way, but this is what they mean). They may ask me questions like, “I know that I am supposed to arrive before the Gospel, but what if I arrive during the reading of the Gospel – does it count?”
People who ask these types of questions are usually not interested in the real purpose of attending Mass – to be fed by word and sacrament to grow in faith and to lead better Christian lives everyday, but are minimalists and more concerned with meeting obligations than growing in faith and living out their faith.
Another example: there are people who do all the pious ritual actions trying to impress people with their holiness but they ignore the weightier matters of love of God and neighbor. Better to be pious on the inside where only God sees rather than on the outside that people see.
Jesus said that people like this cling to human traditions but disregard God’s commandments. He calls them hypocrites – they are putting on a false front.
People are defiled not by ignoring ritual actions or by what they eat, but are defiled "by evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile."
But notice that Jesus is not abrogating the ritual laws: he is criticizing their misuse. He is criticizing people who only follow the ritual laws and ignore other matters of the law. Leviticus 1-18 lists laws that govern things that cause impurity, but Leviticus 19 mandates justice and charity and rejects the destructive behavior listed in today’s gospel. Similarly, in Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God and each other. It is so important that “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments (vs. 40).”
The rituals and customs we follow are meant to support us in our faith; they are not our faith. We can be a people of faith without the rituals and customs. We can’t be a person of faith if we only follow the rituals and customs.
The letter of James was written to counteract the notion that it was faith alone that saves. By accepting the gospel message, they receive a new birth and they were the first fruits of this new faith. They were to accept the gospel and live in conformity with it, which means being “doers of the word and not hearers only;” if they listen and not act, they are deluding themselves.
Fr. Phil
BIBLE STUDY #106
TWENTYTHIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
September 9, 2012
READING 1
ISAIAH 35:4-7A
Thus says the LORD:
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
JAMES 2:1-5
My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes
comes into your assembly,
and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, "Sit here, please, "
while you say to the poor one, "Stand there, " or "Sit at my feet, "
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?
Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MARKK 7:31-37
Again Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man's ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
"Ephphatha!"-- that is, "Be opened!" --
And immediately the man's ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
"He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
The Word of the Lord
Reflection
Today’s miracle story takes place in gentile territory, as does the story of the Syrophoenician woman that precedes this story, and the feeding of the 4,000 that takes place immediately after this story, affirming Jesus universal mission to the whole world.
The people (not the disciples) brought the deaf man with a speech impediment to Jesus; they had heard of him and had hope in his power (they begged him for a cure).
These kinds of healings are reminders that the prophecies about the Messiah are being fulfilled. Isaiah’s vision in our first reading is being fulfilled. Jesus is also fulfilling Ezekiel’s promise of what would happen when the Messiah arrives: “On that day, your mouth will be opened to speak, you will learn that I am God (Ezek 24:26-27).
This cure is affected by Jesus touching the person. Our sacraments of healing work the same way. In reconciliation, the priest raises his hand (or sometimes puts his hand on the head of the penitent) and prays the words of absolution. In the anointing of the sick, the priest lays hands on the person and prays silently. He also uses oil to anoint the person. Touching has a great healing affect. There are times when we all need a hug of some other affirming contact with another person.
Jesus looked up to heaven (praying) and commanded that his ears be opened and his speech impediment be removed, which happened immediately. Then he tells the people not to say anything about it! Actually, Jesus orders them not to say anything. Sounds kind of incredible to me. I would want every one to know so that others could take advantage of Jesus healing power. Besides, how was the cured man going to explain how he was cured? This puts him in a bind. They just ignored Jesus command and spread word about him anyway. Mark’s Gospel has a technique called the “Messianic Secret.” We have to take all these miracles in context of Jesus death and resurrection. Jesus was much more than a miracle worker, a good man, or a teacher. He’s the Son of God whose mission was to establish the Kingdom of God and through his death and resurrection he would conquer sin and death. Who is Jesus to us? Is he only a miracle worker we call upon in time of sickness and impending death? Is he just a good man to us, one we can emulate or ignore? Is he just a teacher that we can listen to or not, taking what we like and ignoring the rest? Or is he the Son of God, the Savior, and Lord of our life? If this is true, we need to put ourselves in his hands and follow him every day, letting him guide and nurture us. If this is true, faith needs to come first in our live. If this is true, we need to be like the people in the Gospel, spreading the Good News to those we meet. Who is Jesus to you?
Do you ever hear but not listen? Have you ever said to yourself 5 m minutes after a conversation, “What did he just say?” I’m sure you have. You were hearing, but not really listening. We hear the Word of God at Mass every week, but do we really listen too it? The difference to me is that listening is transformative. When we listen, it means we take in the Word and let ourselves be changed by it. We understand the meaning of the words and take them to heart so we can grow in God’s grace. Sometimes our ears need to be healed so our hearts can be transformed.
In the first reading, scholars have agreed that chapters 34 and 35 come from a time of exile in Babylonia. This passage was intended to give people hope at a time when God seemed silent: they were in a foreign land with no Temple, no liturgy, and a covenant broken by their own infidelity; they were fearful and desolate. In this dark time, the prophet spoke. Salvation would come, all would be healed and made better and healed. God’s salvation would be so great that nature itself would be transformed.
In the second reading from the Letter of St. James, we are in a larger section of this letter dealing with social discrimination. This section deals with how we treat the rich versus the poor. We are to show no partiality to those who are rich while ignoring the poor. There is no room in our lives for “isms”; that is racism, sexism, ageism, or anything that puts down one group of people and favors another.
Fr. Phil
TWENTYTHIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
September 9, 2012
READING 1
ISAIAH 35:4-7A
Thus says the LORD:
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
JAMES 2:1-5
My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes
comes into your assembly,
and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, "Sit here, please, "
while you say to the poor one, "Stand there, " or "Sit at my feet, "
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?
Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MARKK 7:31-37
Again Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man's ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
"Ephphatha!"-- that is, "Be opened!" --
And immediately the man's ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
"He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
The Word of the Lord
Reflection
Today’s miracle story takes place in gentile territory, as does the story of the Syrophoenician woman that precedes this story, and the feeding of the 4,000 that takes place immediately after this story, affirming Jesus universal mission to the whole world.
The people (not the disciples) brought the deaf man with a speech impediment to Jesus; they had heard of him and had hope in his power (they begged him for a cure).
These kinds of healings are reminders that the prophecies about the Messiah are being fulfilled. Isaiah’s vision in our first reading is being fulfilled. Jesus is also fulfilling Ezekiel’s promise of what would happen when the Messiah arrives: “On that day, your mouth will be opened to speak, you will learn that I am God (Ezek 24:26-27).
This cure is affected by Jesus touching the person. Our sacraments of healing work the same way. In reconciliation, the priest raises his hand (or sometimes puts his hand on the head of the penitent) and prays the words of absolution. In the anointing of the sick, the priest lays hands on the person and prays silently. He also uses oil to anoint the person. Touching has a great healing affect. There are times when we all need a hug of some other affirming contact with another person.
Jesus looked up to heaven (praying) and commanded that his ears be opened and his speech impediment be removed, which happened immediately. Then he tells the people not to say anything about it! Actually, Jesus orders them not to say anything. Sounds kind of incredible to me. I would want every one to know so that others could take advantage of Jesus healing power. Besides, how was the cured man going to explain how he was cured? This puts him in a bind. They just ignored Jesus command and spread word about him anyway. Mark’s Gospel has a technique called the “Messianic Secret.” We have to take all these miracles in context of Jesus death and resurrection. Jesus was much more than a miracle worker, a good man, or a teacher. He’s the Son of God whose mission was to establish the Kingdom of God and through his death and resurrection he would conquer sin and death. Who is Jesus to us? Is he only a miracle worker we call upon in time of sickness and impending death? Is he just a good man to us, one we can emulate or ignore? Is he just a teacher that we can listen to or not, taking what we like and ignoring the rest? Or is he the Son of God, the Savior, and Lord of our life? If this is true, we need to put ourselves in his hands and follow him every day, letting him guide and nurture us. If this is true, faith needs to come first in our live. If this is true, we need to be like the people in the Gospel, spreading the Good News to those we meet. Who is Jesus to you?
Do you ever hear but not listen? Have you ever said to yourself 5 m minutes after a conversation, “What did he just say?” I’m sure you have. You were hearing, but not really listening. We hear the Word of God at Mass every week, but do we really listen too it? The difference to me is that listening is transformative. When we listen, it means we take in the Word and let ourselves be changed by it. We understand the meaning of the words and take them to heart so we can grow in God’s grace. Sometimes our ears need to be healed so our hearts can be transformed.
In the first reading, scholars have agreed that chapters 34 and 35 come from a time of exile in Babylonia. This passage was intended to give people hope at a time when God seemed silent: they were in a foreign land with no Temple, no liturgy, and a covenant broken by their own infidelity; they were fearful and desolate. In this dark time, the prophet spoke. Salvation would come, all would be healed and made better and healed. God’s salvation would be so great that nature itself would be transformed.
In the second reading from the Letter of St. James, we are in a larger section of this letter dealing with social discrimination. This section deals with how we treat the rich versus the poor. We are to show no partiality to those who are rich while ignoring the poor. There is no room in our lives for “isms”; that is racism, sexism, ageism, or anything that puts down one group of people and favors another.
Fr. Phil
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