After five weeks of reflecting on the sixth chapter of John’s gospel and the theme of Jesus as the Bread of Life, we return this weekend to continue our readings from Mark’s gospel. The theme of today’s readings is the nature of true religion and how we live our faith.
As we hear in the first reading, the Law of Moses was very important for the people of Israel– a legal system they had developed in their desire to be God’s people. Through the Law they were to lead lives which were different, better than their pagan neighbors. There was a great emphasis on the observance of the Law as a sign of commitment and obedience to God. By the time of Jesus, however, the Law had become so hopelessly complicated that only experts could interpret its application to the many practical problems which would arise in daily life.
Thus, the Law was not helping people on their way to loving and serving God; observing the law had become an end in itself. The emphasis was not on building a relationship with God and our fellow human beings, but checking, or controlling one’s own behavior. Our confessions I imagine can be like that, as well. Many of the “sins” we confess are often phrased as personal failures (I was impatient, I lost my temper,..I this…I that) with very little reference to how this or that action or non-action caused others hurt. For example, confessing a co-worker got upset when I became impatient with her, or my son was scared when I lost my temper). Do you see the difference? It is easy for us to confess when we break a rule; much harder for us to confess the impact of breaking the rule on another person.
As Jesus indicates in today’s gospel, many of the Old Testament laws were of human invention. On one hand, they helped those in authority to keep control; on the other, people knew where they stood. Like today, we could say, “He’s a good Catholic, he’s always in church on Sunday, or, she’s very devout. There is no mention of what they doe in church, or what they think, or what they feel, or how they relate to the people and creation around them.
This question of following the law is the issue in today’s gospel —”why do your disciples not wash their hands before eating?” Remember, Mark’s gospel was written for new Christians –some were Jewish and some were gentiles. The purpose of today’s gospel then is to put these Jewish customs in proper perspective. Washing hands before eating is a very sensible thing—and I still remind my grown children and our grandchildren to wash their hands before meals. Jesus is not criticizing such precautions. What he is criticizing is attaching a religious sanction to an act that is, in reality, of little importance while neglecting what was far more important– the love of God and the care for our common home. It was this deep sense of compassion that made Francis of Assisi throw caution to the wind and kiss the leper he met on the road and his care for all of creation. And, it is the heart of Pope Francis’ message in his encyclical Laudato Si—God’s great love for his creation earth! (pause)
Jesus quotes from the prophet Isaiah, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me….” Jesus is speaking to us. He is speaking to all who are enslaved by the throw-away culture we live in or by a fundamentalism we embrace that is the source for terrible hatred and violence we experience in our day. The real “uncleanness” is not in any food or drink or our dirty hands, it is in our hearts. It is in the depth of our hearts– lust, stealing, greed, deceit, jealousy, slanderous talk, fundamentalism, arrogance, fear of our ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. All these and more are in direct conflict with a genuinely loving relationship with God and with those around us. Washing hands has nothing to do with it! (pause)
This weekend we also begin reading from the Letter of James and will continue doing so for the next few weeks. In today’s reading, the author speaks of the real source of law: “All that is good, everything that is perfect…comes down from the Father of all light.” James goes on to say, “be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves (do we often do that?) and then he gives us an examples, “care for orphans and widows in their affliction and keep oneself unstained by the world.” And, why? Because, as Jesus says “as often as you do this/or don’t do that to one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you do it to ME.” How many times have we heard those words from Jesus.??How many times??
And yet, there is a strong attraction for some to have a religion of laws and regulations. The question on their lips is often: “is this a sin?” The main concern of such people is to either know what they can get away with or be free from feelings of guilt. And, how easy it is for us to accuse others of sinful acts. The real question these people should be asking is, “Is this a loving thing to do?” There may or may not be a commandment, a regulation or law about it, but if it is not an act of love, then it is not Christian— it is not truly a human act and it is not a moral act.
It is possible to keep all the laws and rules perfectly, as the pharisees of our day do, and yet be very far from the spirit of Jesus and the Gospel. The law-keeper is primarily concerned with “saving his/her soul’, “with being in a state of grace.” The law-keeper when he/she shows “charity” to others is often simply getting “merit” for himself or herself.
Laws are meant not to restrict, but to maximize the freedom of individuals and groups without detriment to others.
In the final analysis, each one of us has to discern for ourselves just how, in a given situation, we can best love and serve Christ. It calls for a great deal of honesty, integrity and a high level of real freedom– the freedom to choose what is good, what is better, what is more loving. The Gospels are not a code of laws. They are is a vision of a truly human life lived for God among other people on this precious earth. It is focused on relationships with all of creation rather than individual actions.
Today and in the coming days, we will have many opportunities to love and serve Jesus in various situations. Instead of being anxious about what we may do wrong (is this a sin?) ask rather, “where and how can I be a more loving, a more caring, a more compassionate person today!!