Catechism
Links [1]
CCC 577-582:
Christ and the Law
CCC 1961-1974:
the Old Law and the Gospel
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| “Christ among the Doctors” by Bonifacio Veronese,1544-45 |
Reading 1: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
Moses said to the people:
“Now, Israel
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?”
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Commentary on Dt
4:1-2, 6-8
This passage from Deuteronomy marks the end of the historical part
of the book and the beginning of Moses’ presentation of the law and
statutes. He addresses the whole people
telling them that unless they follow the statutes which he is about to present,
they do not receive what God promises the faithful, in this case the land of
milk and honey. While the promise of Moses was the inheritance of the physical
land, God’s later promise was of a kingdom not of this earth.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5
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.
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Commentary on Ps
15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5
This selection records the response
of the Temple
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Reading II: James
1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
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.
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Commentary on Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
This section of St. James letter continues his discourse started
following the introduction about the value of trials and temptations. The one who follows the path of sin finds
death while the one who overcomes temptation and remains faithful to the “Father of lights” will find life – the “kind of first fruits of his creatures.”
“This means that Christians
should not be depressed or cowed by the difficulties which God permits them to
experience; on the contrary, they should see them as a series of tests which
with God's help they should surmount in order to receive the reward of Heaven.
"The Lord does not allow His followers to experience these trials and
temptations unless it be for their greater good," St. John of Avila
comments. "He disposed things in this way: endurance in adversity and
struggle against temptation prove who His friends are. For the mark of a true
friend is not that he keeps you company when times are good, but that he stands
by you in times of trial [...]. Companions in adversity and later in the
Kingdom, you should strive to fight manfully when you meet opposition that
would separate you from God, for He is your help here on earth and your reward
in Heaven" ("Audi, Filia", 29).”[5]
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Gospel: Mark
7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
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.”
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Commentary
on Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
We begin the seventh chapter of
Mark’s Gospel with an encounter with the Pharisees. Jesus’ disciples are not
following strict pharisaic laws regarding ritual purification and the Lord, who
is their teacher, is taken to task for it.
Jesus responds indignantly quoting Isaiah 29:13 and pointing out that it is the Pharisees with their man made laws who are sinning against God. Jesus then takes that first command of God to man in the Garden and interprets it. He also stands Jewish Law that declares some foods to be unclean. The focus he makes is that the food that enters the body cannot destroy it but actions and words that contravene God’s Law will.
Jesus responds indignantly quoting Isaiah 29:13 and pointing out that it is the Pharisees with their man made laws who are sinning against God. Jesus then takes that first command of God to man in the Garden and interprets it. He also stands Jewish Law that declares some foods to be unclean. The focus he makes is that the food that enters the body cannot destroy it but actions and words that contravene God’s Law will.
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Reflection:
We pose this question: in the
following two examples, which person is a good Christian? In the first example we have the person who
attends Mass every Sunday, follows the precepts of the Church scrupulously and
prays the Rosary daily as well. Outside of these practices, however, they are
focused completely on making life for themselves as comfortable as possible. Some would call them hedonistic and certainly
uncharitable. In the second example, the
person rarely attends Mass, is lax in virtually all of the precepts of the
faith. However, their lives are
dedicated to serving others. They give
of themselves and their material goods unselfishly and go out of their way to
help others.
Again – which is the good
Christian?
It is, of course, a trick
question. The true answer is neither are
really good Christians. In the first
example, the person who is scrupulous about the discipline and precepts of the
Church might be seen as pillars of the Church by Sunday Church-goers. In appearance they do all the right things
but without actions outside the community that reflects an interior attitude,
these pious actions are empty. In St. Mark’s Gospel story, Jesus is referring to the
critical Pharisees as falling into that category. He quotes the Prophet Isaiah and says “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are
far from me.” St.
James also supports this view. He tells
the early Church in his letter “Be doers of the word and
not hearers only, deluding yourselves.”
The
second example is also has a serious problem.
Yes, they are “doers of the word” as St. James said, however, in not
fulfilling their basic obligations they have placed themselves above the Law
God gave us. If we say, as many do, that
what is truly important is how we act toward others; how we live Christian
values, then we have thrown away an important aspect of what the Lord calls us
to do and be. Arguing with a close
friend about this very subject not too long ago, he made this argument – that
the best “Christian” he knew was Gandhi.
He missed the difference between being “moral” and being Christian.
One
who lives a life that expresses the values of our faith but does not
participate in the faith life of the community is not necessarily even Christian. What makes one Christian is the belief that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. It
does not matter how many people they help or how “good” they may be in all
other aspects of their lives. Without
that belief, they are not on the path to eternal life. They have not accepted the offer and are not
necessarily going to enjoy the reward.
It
may seem at times that selections from
Sacred Scripture force us to understand the unique way in which God chooses to
reveal himself in Christ. Moses speaks
to the people of Israel
What
Jesus advocates in St. Mark’s Gospel is a balance between the stark demands of
Moses and the pragmatic application of St. James. We must both adhere to the discipline of our
faith and express its intent in our lives if we are to be counted as followers
of Christ in fullness.
Pax
[1]
Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June
2014
[2]
S.S
Commemoratio
[3]
The picture is “Christ among the Doctors” by Bonifacio Veronese,1544-45
[4]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5]
The Navarre Bible: “Revelation and Hebrews and Catholic Letters”, Scepter
Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 282
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