The WORD today reminds me that words and actions should always go hand in hand.
Politics in our country is very dirty. There are a lot of corrupt officials. There are a lot of liars. There are a lot of killings. Injustice and indifference even during this pandemic. There are people who say one thing but do otherwise, or have his people do otherwise. What they are saying is not always in sync with what they are doing. This is similar to what Jesus said in the gospel.
The leaders at that time, the scribes and Pharisees, were diligently following the rules and commandments. However, their hearts were far from Jesus - the culmination of the old testament, the very person their early church fathers was prophesying about. They were stuck with blind obedience to the law, and to their own personal interests, and did not want to welcome Jesus in their hearts.
The lips and the heart should always go hand in hand.
Thy say good things. They tell people to do good things. But they do not do good things. Yes, they follow the law, but blind obedience can lead us in the wrong path. Their hearts were far from Jesus. They did not want to hear him. They did not want to know and follow the truth - because the truth would remove them from the pedestal. They want to remain significant, important and respected, and they are more interested in keeping that than knowing the truth. This is why they did not make the effort to know Jesus.
It is easy to say we love God. It is easy to say good things about God. It is easy to proclaim him with words. However, God wants more. God wants concrete steps taken. God wants actions to go with our words. We cannot say we love God, but refuse to do good and help others because we feel they are responsible for their state. We cannot say we thank God for the blessings but refuse to share what we have. If we really love God, we should be ready and willing to step out of our comfort zone to bring him to others.
May we be awakened by Jesus’ words, and do our best to make our lips and heart agree with one another.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for another day to rest and reflect. Thank you for your word. Thank you for the reminder. sorry for the times I act like the scribes and Pharisees. Sorry for the times I get contented with just praising you with my lips. Sorry for the times I make up a lot of excuses for not actually doing your work. Help me get on my feet and act. Help me live my faith. Help me proclaim you with my actions, with my life, and not just with my lips. Amen.
Blessed Sunday!
In Christ,
-g-
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 125
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?”
R. (1a) One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
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.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.”
