Following is my reflection on the scripture readings for Mass for the Friday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090420.cfm
We have in our gospel for
today another confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees. They are comparing
the apostles of Jesus to that of the followers of John the Baptist and their
own followers: “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees dothe same; but yours eat and drink.” The Pharisees were feeling threatened by
how Jesus was teaching others to live in relationship with God. They felt His
teaching was deviating from how God expected people to respond to the His
Commandments. Jesus was not denying that fasting and prayer is important.
Rather, Jesus was indicating that there is more to relationship with God than
just fasting and prayer. It is through serving others with love and charity
that fulfills our call to love God with our whole heart & mind and to love
our neighbor as ourselves.
All throughout His ministry,
Jesus taught about love of God and love of neighbor. To Jesus, this is central
to what it means to be a faithful servant of God. Further Jesus reached out to
those people rejected because of their sinfulness, such as the prostitutes and
tax collectors. Central to Jesus’ teaching is that all people, no matter where
they are in their relationship with God, is loved by God. They are all called
to repent from their sinfulness and turn to God to seek forgiveness.
In the first reading for
today from Paul to the Corinthians, Paul was teaching the Corinthians not to be
judgmental. Paul says, “…do not make any judgment before the appointed time.”He goes on to indicate that judgement is finally up to God, not to anyone else.
The Pharisees were busy judging Jesus and his disciples for not following the
laws of God as they interpreted it. Instead, what they should have been doing
is to take the Law of God, which is love and mercy, and try to bring all people
to God with love and understanding.
As we live out our faith in
Jesus Christ, let us not only fast and pray out of love of God, but let us show
love and acceptance towards all those who may not be following God in the way
we feel they should.
Very good, Deacon Tom!
ReplyDeleteSome of our Evangelical Christian brothers & sisters are fond of saying "CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION. IT IS A RELATIONSHIP." They see "religion" in a negative light, viewing it only as rules, regulations, rituals, what to do, what not to do, when, where, & how to do it or not do it --essentially very legalistic & somewhat judgmental.
Such was the "religion" of the Pharisees & if we are not careful, we Christians--whether Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant or Evangelical--must be careful not to fall into the trap of being so careful about "religion" that we lose sight of the RELATIONSHIP God desires to have with us & desires that we have with each other. Of course, this does not mean that we "throw out the baby with the bath water" & neglect the Commandments of God & the Church or religious practices, but we must always keep love for God & loving others as we love ourselves & even sacrificially as JESUS CHRIST demonstrated His love for us as the CENTER & allow whatever we do to flow from love.
The Pharisees initially started with good intentions. They wanted to avoid sin at all costs & be pleasing to God so they became very scrupulous about rules, regulations & rituals & even added additional rules, regulations & rituals to protect themselves from violating God's law They forgot that in the phylacteries they wore & the mezzuzahs they hung in their homes was the commandment from Deuteronomy to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind & strength & that the Commandment in Leviticus was to love our neighbors as ourselves because they got so tied up with the legal aspect of religion that they "couldn't see the forest for the trees".
In addition to dying for our sins & rising from the dead, JESUS came as the Incarnate Son of God to heal, preach & teach us & show us what God is really like & what God really wants from us. God created us first & foremost because He loves us & desires to have a close personal relationship with Him & for us to share His love with one another, but that relationship was broken by sin, beginning with original sin. JESUS came to restore our relationship with God & one another. Unfortunately the Pharisees were so sure that they knew the way to God & were so blind to the PRE-EMINENCE of love & relationship that they were prideful & judgmental & maybe even jealous & envious of Our LORD JESUS & His disciples.
As Catholic Christians we do not deny that our faith is a religion but we realize that above all it is about our relationship with God Who loves us infinitely & unconditionally & desires that we grow in love with Him & share His love with everyone we meet & allow our obedience to Him & to His Church to flow from that love.