5th TUESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 7:1-13) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
- NHA CHUA CHA
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
FIRST READING - 1 Kgs 8:22-23, 27-30
"The place of which you said, My name shall be there; Listen to the petition of your servant and of your people Israel."
A reading from the First Book of Kings
22 Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, and stretching forth his hands toward heaven, 23 he said, “Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep covenant and love toward your servants who walk before you with their whole heart,
27 “Is God indeed to dwell on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this house which I have built! 28 Regard kindly the prayer and petition of your servant, Lord, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day. 29 May your eyes be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, My name shall be there; listen to the prayer your servant makes toward this place. 30 Listen to the petition of your servant and of your people Israel which they offer toward this place. Listen, from the place of your enthronement, heaven, listen and forgive.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mk 7:1-13
"You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition."
✠From the Gospel according to Mark
[a] 1 Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. 3 (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands,[b] keeping the tradition of the elders. 4 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].) 5 So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders[c] but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” 6 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;7 In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.’
8 You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” 9 He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’ 11 Yet you say, ‘If a person says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’[d] (meaning, dedicated to God), 12 you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. 13 You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”
5th TUESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 7:1-13)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear people of God,
In The Word of God in today's Gospel, God wants everyone to understand two laws: the first is the law of God, and the second is the law of humans.
Regarding the law of God, God taught it from ancient times, and what He taught must not be added to or taken away from and must be carried out correctly. Those who correctly carry out what God commands will enjoy the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter.
What is the Law of God? It is the Ten Commandments summarized in two points: reverence for God and love for neighbors; and God wishes to summarize it in one word: 'love'.
That is the law that God desires humanity to absolutely obey; whereas, regarding the law of man, there are many.
God is the Almighty, All-Perfect, and the Sovereign One over the entire universe.
God created humans, and He has authority over man. He knows everything good or bad for man; He is the Lawgiver. God always loves mankind and desires humanity to be happy next to Him.
Therefore, God desires His children to live according to the law He has established, not to stray from the path, and to obey His Word absolutely.
The Law established by God is very concise, consisting of the word 'love' or alternatively, the word 'charity'.
If humanity only carries out these two words, we will enjoy eternal happiness next to Him forever, for in Heaven there is only charity, which is Divine Love.
Divine Love always exists forever, never fading away.
On this earth, no one loves and is as close to mankind as God Himself.
What about the law of humans? During the Old Testament period, man established 613 laws. These were the laws recorded in books; furthermore, man added many more regulations. Man voluntarily put a yoke upon himself, establishing many laws while man is merely a sinner, a mortal before God.
Humanity, being ignorant, not enlightened, and not perfect like God, dared to propose human laws and demanded their observance, claiming that by keeping them, one would enter the Kingdom of God. But God does not need the laws proposed by man; God only needs man to live correctly according to the Law of God, which is the law of 'love'.
In the Word of God today, God wishes to instruct mankind to be humble before God.
For through the intimate meal between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes, who were considered pious, highly educated, and knowledgeable; yet God fully understood their hearts; he knew exactly how each person lived. So, why did God condemn them?
For in the eyes of humanity, the scribes were good, for they were teachers of faith whom everyone had to obey; but God knew the hypocrisy within them, so He rebuked them: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
God wants everyone to live humbly and carry out what God teaches, to stand face-to-face before God, and to practice the law that God commanded from ancient times; and this law is always engraved in the heart of every person, never fading away.
As for the law of man, it will fade away because it is not the eternal law that leads man to eternal life.
On the other hand, why did the scribes not tell Jesus' disciples to live with charity and love, but instead rebuke the disciples for eating without washing their hands beforehand?
In the eyes of man, that is reasonable; but regarding the law of God, God demands charity and humility. Whoever has kept the law should be humble; they should not be arrogant or boastful, claiming to be the one who keeps the law, the one who is pleasing to God.
God demands purity from the heart, from the soul, and He does not demand external appearance; He desires mercy, not sacrifice.
Today, God wants to teach everyone to fulfill God's law, which is love and charity above all else, and to fear God alone.
When observing God's law, be modest and humble; do not be arrogant or proud like those living in the world today, like the bishops, priests, and religious men and women who think they are keeping the law and living according to God's commandments by fasting, praying, and offering Mass every day. But have they treated others, especially the poor and suffering, with charity? Or have the bishops and priests treated those living according to God's teachings at the House of God the Father with charity?
Today's Gospel is also a warning to all of us: let us truly fulfill God's commandment, which is to live with the word "love." Do not be arrogant, condemn, or judge your brothers and sisters, for only God is the Judge, the One who condemns, and the One who gives rewards or punishments; no one has the right to judge others except God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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