At home with the fundamentals

In this part of the letter of St James, we read that, ‘pure unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world’ (cf. James 4:1-2.6-8). In the gospel, our Blessed Lord condemns in strong terms, those who hold on to the rigorous principles, rules, and laws that take joy out of religion and can stall our relationship with God. He used the word, hypocrites on such persons. According to Our Blessed Lord, ‘it was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture: ‘This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless, the doctrines they teach are only human regulations’ (Mk 7:1-8. 14-15.21-23). 

Beloved People of God, God has always found ways to make our relationship with him, a lovely experience. In Jesus, God’s love becomes even more manifest. The Lord’s teaching on food seeks to make life liveable for his children. ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean. He thus declares the food we eat clean. We have to concentrate on the fundamentals, the things that really matter in our relationship with God. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses makes it clear when he says, ‘…you must add nothing to what I command you, and take nothing from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God just as I lay them down for you’ (cf. Dt 4:1-2. 6-8). 

We pray that we will never have reason to ‘put aside the commandments of God to cling to human traditions’ (Mk 7:8). May we learn to ‘accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls’ (James 1:21).

Fr. Ted

All to Jesus – Through Mary our Mother

22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

1^st September 2024