Homily Twenty-Second Sunday Year B Follow the Word of God
Homily Twenty-Second Sunday Year B
Reading
1
Moses
reminded the people that the Commandments are from the Lord, who delivered them
from the bondage of Egypt. God likewise promised them a land flowing with milk
and honey. As a result, they were to observe the Commandments without adding,
subtracting or interpreting them to their own choosing.
He
also reminded them that by observing the Commandments carefully, the people
will be glorifying God, the source of the Commandments and show how wise and
intelligent the people are. For God is not a distant God but close to the
people whenever they call upon him.
How
did the people respond? By and large they did not obey the commands of the
Lord. Over the centuries, people interpreted the Commandments to fit their own
needs. And we have done the same. Even though the Commandments say “You shall
have no other god before you” how many created things have become our gods? How often the name and person of God is not
held with awe and respect? How have we come to keeping holy the Lord’s Day out
of obligation and not out of love, when Mass is an option not primary? How have
we come to justify our actions that are wrong and sinful so as to look good in
the eyes of others?
We
need to reflect on the Commandments on a deeper level to see how really we are
basing our lives on them and where we are not.
Reading
2:
James
reminds us that all the good gifts we have are from God. The first gift he reflects
on is that of life. The second is the Sacred Word of God which is the revealed
truth of God. Do we humbly welcome the Word of God given to us, as we hear it
each Sunday? Do we believe that this Word is able to save us and bring us into
the fullness of eternal life? Are we doers of the Word and not just
hearers?
It
is easy for any of us to know the truth but not act on the truth. It is easy to
know what is the right thing to do and choose not to do that which is right. The present crisis in the Church over the
sexual abuse of children is a prime example. What should have been done and
what was done do not match against the Word of God and the Commandments. Paraphrasing
James and applying it to the present situation, we could say: “Religion that is
pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for most
vulnerable.”
Gospel:
Besides
the Commandments and precepts, over the centuries some of the teachers of the Law
would further expand and interpret the Law to the point there were over 600
different statutes which people were expected to follow to the letter. Ritual
purity became more important than the basic Ten Commandments.
In
the Gospel, the Pharisees identified these precepts as traditions of the
elders. But Jesus goes to the core of the problem. External rather internal
actions is the focus for the Pharisees. Lip service rather than commitment of
the heart. Jesus said that they placed
these many precepts on the same level as the Divine Commandments.
Like
the Pharisees how easy is it for us to go through the motions of piety and
worship externally but still not deal with the sin within. It is sin that
defiles us no matter how often we utter praise on our lips. The acceptable
sacrifice comes from a heart right with God.
Each
of us has to regularly look at the evils within us, no matter what they are and
begin to repent of them and choose to do that is right and just to change our
past sinful behavior. And that is based on a sincere desire to be in right
relationship to God according to his Word and Commands.
We
can’t change the effects of our past wrongdoings but we can change how we do
things today. Listening to the Word of God and acting on it has to be our
motivation in all we do. It may not be popular or according to the norms of
society. But we are called to follow a different path, to follow a different leader,
God.
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