We should be less dogmatic, more pastoral
Sept. 1—22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Dt 4:1-2, 6-8; Psalm 15, R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.; Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Gospel – Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
It is interesting to note that this Sunday’s Gospel is what we can consider as a very pivotal episode in the ministry and mission of Jesus.
This episode defined the basic conflict that ensued between Jesus and the religious authorities.
Then there are two key points that will surface, which were two of the most revolutionary statements of Jesus.
Jesus rejected the rigid adherence to the law and criticized it as disobedience to God. Then he made the bold claim that what renders a person unclean is not the food he/she eats, but what issues forth from the heart.
The basic conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities this episode defined is as relevant to us now as it was then.
Jesus criticized the legalistic attitude and practice of the scribes and the Pharisees which reduced the practice and living out of religion to a set of rigid rules, regulations, and rituals. Consequently, it disregarded the practice of religion as the developing and nurturing of one’s relationship with God and others.
Sounds familiar? This was the same counsel of Pope Francis over a decade ago when he became Pope. We should be less dogmatic and be more pastoral. Note, never did he say we should throw out dogma, as some would try to portray him.
Case in point is the tightening of the prohibition on the celebration of the Latin Masses. The Pope, both Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, allowed this, but also stipulated that it must not deny the value and beauty of the Vatican II celebration of the Mass.
The tightening of the prohibition was a result of the abuse of the permission by “demonizing,” for lack of a better term, Pope Francis and not only criticizing the Vatican II liturgy but Vatican II itself, in toto.
Hypocrites
This bring us to the second point for reflection, the revolutionary statement of Jesus that by adhering to legalistic and rigid practices, the scribes and Pharisees were disobedient to God’s will and spirit.
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honor 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.” (cf. Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)
The key to this reflection is how the religious authorities then “disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” This is the actual disobedience.
Equally revolutionary was the rebuttal of the practice of declaring so many types of food unclean and external practices rendering a person unclean.
Jesus criticized this and bluntly stated, “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… evil [thoughts and actions] come from within and they defile.”
These three important lessons from today’s Gospel remain relevant to our church and to us, personally.
They invite us to reflect on our own practice of our faith and of religion in the light of these very important points the Lord raised in his ministry and mission here on earth.
The underlying grace in all this is the invitation for us to renew the message of the Lord which was at the heart of his ministry and mission: “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)
