Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
IN HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS
After the creation of inanimate beings comes the creation of living beings: fish, birds, land animals, and the crowning achievement, man and woman, made in God’s image and likeness. They are special, for they are also put in charge of the whole of creation, for the task of working for the integrity of creation is heavy with responsibilities.
Reading 1 Gn 1:20—2:4a
God spoke: “Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life!
Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!”
God created the huge whales,
all the swarm of life in the waters,
And every kind and species of flying birds.
God saw that it was good.
God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean!
Birds, reproduce on Earth!”
It was evening, it was morning—
Day Five.
God spoke: “Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind:
cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds.”
And there it was:
wild animals of every kind,
Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug.
God saw that it was good.
God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them
reflecting our nature
So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
the birds in the air, the cattle,
And, yes, Earth itself,
and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
God created human beings;
he created them godlike,
Reflecting God’s nature.
He created them male and female.
God blessed them:
“Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”
Then God said, “I’ve given you
every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth
And every kind of fruit-bearing tree,
given them to you for food.
To all animals and all birds,
everything that moves and breathes,
I give whatever grows out of the ground for food.”
And there it was.
God looked over everything he had made;
it was so good, so very good!
It was evening, it was morning—
Day Six.
Heaven and Earth were finished,
down to the last detail.
By the seventh day
God had finished his work.
On the seventh day
he rested from all his work.
God blessed the seventh day.
He made it a Holy Day
Because on that day he rested from his work,
all the creating God had done.
This is the story of how it all started,
of Heaven and Earth when they were created.
Gospel Mk 7:1-13
The Pharisees, along with some religion scholars who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around him. They noticed that some of his disciples weren’t being careful with ritual washings before meals. The Pharisees—Jews in general, in fact—would never eat a meal without going through the motions of a ritual hand-washing, with an especially vigorous scrubbing if they had just come from the market (to say nothing of the scourings they’d give jugs and pots and pans). The Pharisees and religion scholars asked, “Why do your disciples brush off the rules, showing up at meals without washing their hands?” Jesus answered, “Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull’s-eye in fact:
These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
but their heart isn’t in it.
They act like they are worshiping me,
but they don’t mean it.
They just use me as a cover
for teaching whatever suits their fancy,
Ditching God’s command
and taking up the latest fads.”
He went on, “Well, good for you. You get rid of God’s command so you won’t be inconvenienced in following the religious fashions! Moses said, ‘Respect your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone denouncing father or mother should be killed.’ But you weasel out of that by saying that it’s perfectly acceptable to say to father or mother, ‘Gift! What I owed you I’ve given as a gift to God,’ thus relieving yourselves of obligation to father or mother. You scratch out God’s Word and scrawl a whim in its place. You do a lot of things like this.”
Prayer
God, creator of all that is,
thank you for creating human beings
in your image and likeness.
Let it mean for us
that we are not only capable
of love and goodness, mercy and generosity,
but that in your image, we can use
our hearts and imagination
to be creative and inventive
in loving, giving and forgiving
and in forming a community,
like you, our living God, now and for ever.
Reflection:
7 February 2023
Mark 7:1-13
Truth without charity is brutality
Today’s gospel discusses the value of the “tradition of the elders”, and Jesus cautions his listeners that these traditions must never precede God’s commandment.
Pope Francis explains this passage and says, “Today Jesus wants to caution us too, against the belief that outward observance of the commandments is enough to make us good Christians. The religious leadership of the time – the Pharisees and scribes- observed these norms extremely scrupulously and presented them as the expression of authentic religiosity. Therefore, they rebuked Jesus and his disciples for transgressing them, specifically the norms regarding the external purification of the body (v. 5).
It is hypocritical to consider ourselves acceptable or better than others simply for observing the rules and customs but fail to love our neighbour, and we are hard of heart, we are arrogant and proud. Literal observance of the precepts is a fruitless exercise unless we return to the Word of God in prayer, seeking justice and peace and taking care of the poor.
We come across people in our communities and our parishes, who say they are deeply Catholic and often go to Church, but then neglect their families, speak badly of others and use uncharitable ways to add to their profits. This is what Jesus condemns because this is a counter-witness to Christianity.
Pharisaic hypocrisy has survived through the centuries and is evident even in our lives today. In our attempts to project ourselves as better Christians than others, we belittle the lives of our brothers and sisters.
Jesus accused the Pharisees and scribes of abandoning God’s word by substituting their own arguments and interpretations. The Law of Moses was turned into a burden for the ordinary believer. Similar things happen in the Church today: how often do we use the Word of God to frighten people? Many sermons today frighten the listeners of the impending punishments of God. We don’t believe in a punishing God but a forgiving and merciful God. And His mercy does not depend on any conditions.
God, in his mercy, freely offers us pardon, healing, and grace for overcoming sin and evil. John the evangelist, in his first letter, beautifully explains the forgiveness of God: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). Let us ask the Lord to cleanse us with the purifying fire of his Holy Spirit.
“Lord, let me dwell in your presence and fill me with the knowledge of your truth and goodness. Instruct my heart that I may walk in your way of love and holiness.”