The Sunday Liturgy Commentary
The 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time – 2nd September 2018
Lectionary readings: Dt 4 1-2,6-8; Ps. 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5; Jas 1:17–18, 21b-22, 27; Mk 7:1-8,14-15, 21-23
Theme: The heart of observing the law, is observing the law of the heart
This Sunday’s set of readings gives us an interesting connection from the first reading up until the Gospel. In the first reading, Deuteronomy, we see Moses’ exhortation to the children of Israel to “hear the statutes and decrees. . .and to observe them, do not ad nor subtract from it. . . to observe it carefully. . .” In the Psalms, we read and pray about “the one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord” by describing a live lived in doing acts of justice and righteousness. In the letter of James, he exhorts “be doers of the word and not hearers only.” Finally in the Gospel we read Jesus’s teaching about observing the law on ritual purity. What connection can we see?
The key to the connection might be the word: observing/doing. Obviously, since it consistently reappears in all the readings we have this Sunday. We can see that they emphasize not only “hearing the law” but “observing it.” What does it mean for us to observe it then? Is it not enough to “do” what the law for one to say that she/he “observes” the law? It is interesting that in the Gospel, Jesus shifts the attention to the congruence of what is done outwardly and the inward disposition which drives the outward action. It may be misleading to say that Jesus puts more importance on the internal disposition and does away with the external observance of the law/commandments of God. On the contrary, we may consider that Jesus teaches observance of the law as important but that goes to the depths of what it means to really observe the law.
The deal-breaker? The heart. He says, “Nothing that enters one from the outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” Reading further, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart that evil intentions come.” Pope Francis quotes the final verse from the Gospel in his book On Self-Accusation: Corruption and Sin. Observance is not limited in the external acts of piety but in the total is the matter of the heart. Externalities may be important, but we should also watch over the fragmentation of our observance of the law which can emerge from a heart that is immersed and infected by evil. Jesus in the Gospel reminds us that while observing the law is good, we should keep watch over our heart from which either authentic obedience or hypocrisy ensues. Observing the law is not just doing what the law says but observing it with all our heart. At the heart of observing the law, is observing the law of the heart. Justice is demanded of us not only in our external acts but must come from the heart. Simply, goodness and justices involves the totality of our very person: the integrity of our actions in sync with our internal dispositions.
We may read this controversy in the Gospel of Mark not so much about Jesus going against the Pharisee’s interpretation of the law but about Jesus confronting our superficiality and even hypocrisy when it comes to our observance of the law. In the world today, especially in the rise of populist leaders in many countries, we see violence unleashed, the widespread neglect and non-tolerance, even propositions of condoning death and destruction, justified by and done in the name of “observance of the law.” This Sunday’s readings challenge us not only to pay lip service to the law but, as the first reading from Deuteronomy mentions, to observe and to keep the law authentically. Inspired by this, we hear the echo of the very Spirit which inspires Bat Kol Institute to proclaim: “We will hear, and we will do!” (Dt. 5:27)
For Reflection and Discussion: [1] What were the moments when we have become superficial in our observance of the law? [2] Where is our heart? What comes from our hearts? Do we use our external acts of piety to cover up for the ‘evil” which arises from our hearts?
Bibliography: Amy Jill-Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler, eds., “Mark 7,” in The Jewish Annotated New Testament (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011). Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Way of Humility Corruption and Sin on Self Accusation.
This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by
John Paul A. Bolano, MA, Philippines, Bat Kol 2017
Email address: jbolano@ateneo.edu
[Copyright © 2018]
………………………………………………………………
PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol. Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.
….………………………………………………………………
Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem
1983-2018
“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”
Mail to: gill@batkol.info Website: www.batkol.info
@import url(https://www.ratisbonne.org.il/bk/wp-content/plugins/siteorigin-panels/css/front-flex.min.css); #pgc-4108-0-0 , #pgc-4108-0-2 { width:10%;width:calc(10% – ( 0.9 * 30px ) ) } #pgc-4108-0-1 { width:80%;width:calc(80% – ( 0.2 * 30px ) ) } #pl-4108 #panel-4108-0-1-0 { } #pl-4108 .so-panel { margin-bottom:30px } #pl-4108 .so-panel:last-child { margin-bottom:0px } #pg-4108-0.panel-no-style, #pg-4108-0.panel-has-style > .panel-row-style { -webkit-align-items:flex-start;align-items:flex-start } @media (max-width:780px){ #pg-4108-0.panel-no-style, #pg-4108-0.panel-has-style > .panel-row-style { -webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column } #pg-4108-0 .panel-grid-cell { margin-right:0 } #pg-4108-0 .panel-grid-cell { width:100% } #pgc-4108-0-0 , #pgc-4108-0-1 { margin-bottom:30px } #pl-4108 .panel-grid-cell { padding:0 } #pl-4108 .panel-grid .panel-grid-cell-empty { display:none } #pl-4108 .panel-grid .panel-grid-cell-mobile-last { margin-bottom:0px } }
When compared with other Psalms, the “Wisdom Psalms” including Ps. 34, are “more conscious of God’s presence in daily life”; they convey “reflection and calm strength, with moderation and appreciation for the learning experience” of each day (Stuhlmueller, 180). Urging us to taste and see the goodness of the Lord, these verses of Ps. 34 invite us to probe the quite disparate and somewhat dramatic readings from Kings, Ephesians, and John, to discover how the Psalm holds them together and illumines the insights they offer.
John uses a distinct vocabulary in the gospel and such words as truth, life, light carry a spiritual significance. Frequently, he has a dialogue as the focus of the teaching in which clarification and strengthening of faith would be possible. The people who had witnessed the multiplication of the loaves now followed Jesus and expected to be fed again. There was much misunderstanding and confusion in how they heard the words that Jesus spoke to them.
We hear in the First Reading, Elisha insisted “Give it to the people to eat, for thus says the Lord, They shall eat and there shall be some left over” (2Kg 4:43). This beautiful little tradition prefigures the miraculous feeding of the Gospel. The bread is multiplied to feed the poor. Earlier in (2Kg 4:1-7) tells of the widow who, like the widow of Zarephath (1Kg 17:7-16) has only a small jar of oil, but its amount multiplies so that she is able to fill all the empty vessels she can find. It also echoes something in the Gospel of Mathew, “you have received freely, give it freely”(Mt10:8-10). Elisha, upon seeing the supplies, did not hesitate but commanded the man to give the food so that others may eat.
In this Sunday’s gospel, taken from Mark, we read that Jesus calls the twelve, sends them out two by two and gives them authority over unclean spirits. He orders them to take nothing for the journey except a staff. He instructs them to remain in the house that receives them until they depart.
The account on the rejection of Jesus is quite extraordinary if compared to how the Lukan account depicted him, that, “Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favor.” [Lk 2:52] In the Markan account, Jesus did not have the esteem of his own people. In fact, he was rejected “and they took offense at him.” [Mk 6:3] They could not see beyond his family line and him being a carpenter. He was too familiar. This is only in reference to the people of his hometown. But, there is also a difficult verse in Mark 3:21. Exploring different translations, we find that there is an obvious translation problem. Who were saying the remark that Jesus was out of his mind, his family and relatives or the people? Mark has indeed effectively conveyed in his storytelling the rejection of Jesus by his contemporaries which creates the creative tension of provoking the reader/listener of the Gospel to make a stand and clarify his/her own beliefs about this person called Jesus Christ.
The readings for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary time remind us that our life is to be lived in awareness that we are fashioned in the image and likeness of God. This understanding leads us to see how in our relationships with all there is, we make manifest God’s nature and presence fully alive, one and whole with all of creation.
