Homily: Fifth Wednesday of Ordinary Time
Fifth Wednesday of Ordinary Time (Mk. 7:14-23) “Holiness Comes from Within”
Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel are shocking. Dietary law was very important to the Jewish people. For instance, they did not eat pork or the meat of any cloven animal. They also were careful about how they purified cooking utensils. The rules had been passed down from the Patriarchs and Moses. They were all part of the covenant between the people of Israel and God. Jews had died under times of persecution because they would not break these laws.
Was Jesus saying, to simply ignore dietary law? No, he was probably trying to put them in their proper context. He was making a statement about what is most important. If religious practice does not make us more loving toward our neighbor than it is not fulfilling its purpose. If religious laws are used in a way to judge other people, then they are being misused.
Right now, there is controversy in the church because Pope Francis has tightened up on the restrictions on when the Tridentine Mass is celebrated. The Tridentine Mass is the Mass that was said before Vatican II. It is now called the Mass of extraordinary form. This Mass is said in Latin. The priest faces the wall. The Mass that is of the ordinary form is the Mass we celebrate each day and on Sunday. The Mass is said in the vernacular (language of the people). The priest and people gather around the altar.
Some people will not recognize the validity of the ordinary form. They might say that Vatican II is an illegitimate church council. They make judgements about whether other Catholics are holy by observing whether they attend the Mass of ordinary form or whether they attend the Mass of extraordinary form.
These are the type of divisive things that Jesus was addressing as he spoke to the crowd in the Gospel. If a religious practice causes us to be more charitable it is worthwhile. If a religious practice leads to division and judgmental attitudes, then it is not.
Reflection Questions:
- What religious practices are most important to me? Have I become holier because of them?
- Should the liturgy unite or divide us? How can I be more charitable when I attend Mass?
Dear Parishioner,
The downturn in COVID infections is great news. Usually this leads to questions about when we will be loosening our protocols at Mass. The answer to that question will come when we see where the pandemic is going. We all remember last summer when the government said that we could drop protocols and then there was a surge that killed tens of thousands more people. We cannot let our guard down too soon.
I would say as the weather warms there will be more of a chance of dropping protocols. Perhaps by the beginning of Lent we will have a better idea of what is going to happen. I would not want us to let down our guard too soon. We must continue to pray for the sick and dying and that better time will come.
May Our Lady and All the Angels and Saints may watch over us today.
Fr. Mark