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Gospel for August 30, 2009, Sunday

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 08/30/2009 12:00 AM

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22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: Dt 4:1–2, 6–8
And now, Israel, listen to the norms and laws which I teach that you may put them into practice. And you will live and enter and take possession of the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, gives you.
Do not add anything to what I command you nor take anything away from it. But keep the commandments of Yahweh, your God, as I command you.
If you observe and practice them, other peoples will regard you as wise and intelligent. When they come to know of all these laws, they will say, “There is no people as wise and as intelligent as this great nation.” For in truth, is there a nation as great as ours, whose gods are as near to it as Yahweh, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? And is there a nation as great as ours whose norms and laws are as just as this Law which I give you today?

2nd Reading: Jas 1:17–18, 21–22, 27
Every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of Light, in whom there is no change or shadow of a change. By his own will he gave us life through the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of offering to him among his creatures.
So get rid of any filth and reject the prevailing evil, and welcome the Word that has been planted in you and has the power to save you.
Be doers of the Word and not just hearers, lest you deceive yourselves.
In the sight of God, our Father, pure and blameless religion lies in helping the orphans and widows in their need and keeping oneself from the world’s corruption.

Gospel: Mk 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23
One day the Pharisees gathered around Jesus and with them were some teachers of the Law who had just come from Jerusalem.
They noticed that some of his disciples were eating their meal with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. Now the Pharisees, and in fact, all the Jews, never eat without washing their hands for they follow the tradition received from their ancestors. Nor do they eat anything when they come from the market without first washing themselves. And there are many other traditions they observe, for example, the ritual washing of cups, pots and plates.
So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders, but eat with unclean hands?”
Jesus answered, “You, shallow people! How well Isaiah prophesied of you when he wrote: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless, for what they teach are only human rules. You even put aside the commandment of God to hold fast to human tradition.”
Jesus then called the people to him again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and try to understand. Nothing that enters one from out-side can make that person unclean. It is what comes out from within that makes unclean.
For evil designs come out of the heart: theft, murder, adultery, jealousy, greed, maliciousness, deceit, indecency, slander, pride and folly. All these evil things come from within and make a person unclean.”

Commentary
The discussion about cleanliness in today’s Gospel centers around Jewish traditions of washing hands and purifying vessels so as to put them to good and holy use. External rituals are performed so as to signify interior sentiments of piety and holiness. Jesus challenges the Pharisees to make certain that the interior movements of their hearts truly live up to what they profess with their words and ritual gestures. For Jesus, holiness is not just a matter of observing a collection of precepts. Rather, holiness is a way of life, striving to love the Lord with all of one’s heart, mind, soul and strength.
How do we become holy? How do we attain the cleanliness spoken of in the Gospel? We do so by drawing near to the One who is all holy, the Lord Jesus who enters our lives through the sacraments of the Church so that we might experience renewal of heart and conversion of life. By drawing near to the Lord Jesus in Word and Sacrament we allow Him to influence our attitudes, thoughts and actions. May we seek the holiness that allows us to be “doers of the Word and not merely hearers.”

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