Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
† Sunday 3rd September 2000

Theme: Being true to the Word of God.

This text records a solemn proclamation by Moses of the Covenant to the People of Israel who are assembled to hear God’s Word. Moses urges them, “You must keep the commandments of the Lord God just as I have laid them down for you.” Fidelity to this Law explains Moses,will come with the guarantee that the Lord God will be with this people. Their neighbours will come to exclaim, “No other nation is as wise and prudent as this great nation!” as they recognise the value of the law and community customs observed by the People of the Covenant.

Letter of James 1: 17 - 18, 21 - 22, 27
The words from the text get straight to the point, “Accept and submit to the Word which has been planted in you and can save your souls.” Hearing the word, it is not enough just to listen and deceive yourself and others, “but you must do what the Word tells you.” The practical outcomes of such true religion will be shown by your “coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.”

Gospel according to Mark 7: 1 - 8, 14 - 15, 21 - 23
In every human society it seems there are those who concentrate on outward observance. The ‘being holier than thou society’ who deceive themselves and try to deceive others, pretending that they alone act and behave correctly. The reference to the ritual sprinkling with water serves to underline what this empty gesture really was. Likewise the ‘hypocrite’ is the one who wears the false mask, pretending to be other than what is real. So the attempt to publicly discredit Jesus provides an opportunity for Jesus to explain to the disciples that fidelity to merely human regulations is less important than the Word of God. All of us are invited to ‘get real’ and to be true to the inner reality of Christian living. Calling the people to him again, Jesus said, “Listen to me all of you, and understand.”.

© Peter Harrison 2000