To Live in the Presence of the Lord

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: 29 August 2021

Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5; James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

To listen to my audio reflections, please click here

The liturgical readings for this Sunday are aptly summarized in the responsorial psalm that we read today: "The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord" (Psalm 15:2–5). Moses, St James the Apostle and Jesus call each one of us to understand the purpose of our life that is "to live in the presence of the Lord." A person will not be able to live in the presence of the Lord if he or she is not ready to live according to the precepts or commandments of the Lord. We live in a world by following certain values and norms, morals and ethics, precepts and etiquettes. Being rational, intelligent, social and spiritual beings we follow a certain discipline and a pattern of lifestyle. This is what makes us different from the animal world. We shall reflect on these aspects in the following.

1. Hearing the Word of God

Quoting Prophet Isaiah, Jesus says: "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Mark 7:6, Isaiah 29:13). While being at the service of people, Jesus found evil in the hearts and minds of those who benefited from his healing, preaching and teaching ministry. People lost themselves especially the Pharisees and scribes in the externals, outward rituals, and those things which matter very little to live in the presence of God. They turned the law inside out, making it a matter of simply performing certain external actions.  By being oneself overwhelmed or engrossed with the ritual and external practices, the people could neither hear the Word of God nor act on it. They are lost in the things and ways of this world. 

The so-called intelligentsia of the Jewish society, Pharisees and scribes begin criticizing the disciples of Jesus who were simple fisherfolk and other ordinary men for breaking the inherited rituals and traditions. Therefore Jesus puts it bluntly defending his disciples saying, "it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come" (Mk 7:21-23). The laws or precepts of God meant to form our hearts, head and hand to make us pure and able to live in God's presence. What matters most is our inner disposition. Our gaze should be set steadily on ourselves and our own inner life. Therefore God invites us by living the laws of our God. Thus we might live and enter into the inheritance promised to us - the Kingdom of God, in other words, the eternal life. 

2. Look for things that matter most

Often we are lost in things, which do not bring us closer to God. We are unnecessarily preoccupied with things, which derail us to reach our destiny. In spite of our limitedness, fragility, vulnerability, mortality and other human constraints still we would like to behave in this world as if we are the endless rulers of this world. There is a sense often that grows within us that nobody can control us and we are masters of the universe. All the ill and evil that comes out in our words and action destroy the very purpose for which we live in this world that is righteousness and truth. The uncontrollable malice and wickedness that we exhibit in every word and action of ours says that we are no more stewards of this creation. The destructive behaviour that comes out us as Jesus says, "fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness" (Mark 7:21) etc., have an end in themselves. 

Our life should be guided by those things which are really important; what matters most to us.  The challenge of Jesus for those who are preoccupied with rules and conventions, point to us that our hasty decisions, divisive methods land us not in reaching the very purpose we are allowed to make our life possible on this earth. The potential evil within us puts constraints in relating with God and our fellow neighbour. Therefore Jesus calls us to live in love and friendship where we can hear the voice of God and act upon it accordingly. Just as God gives our daily bread when we pray, so too each day we should strive to think good and not evil, to be chaste, honest, life-giving, faithful, to be content with what we have and to be generous. This is how his kingdom grows in us and among us.

3. Doers of the Word and not hearers only

St James the apostle in his epistle (James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27) admonishes very strongly that we must "be doers of the word and not hearers only" (James 1:22). He further says that we cannot fool ourselves with "all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness" (James 1:21) harbouring in us. Moreover, he invites the Christian community to follow a  "religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (James 1:27). These beautiful words of the Apostle of our Lord must guide us every day of our life especially those who are guiding the religion that we belong to, namely, bishops, priests and nuns and laypeople. All are called through our baptism to be priests, prophets and kings. Let not our actions be guided by a hunger for power or prestige, money or muscle power, properties or profits, lands or lust but purely the love of God and our neighbour. 

Jesus wants us to be people who demonstrate God’s law of love, His compassion, His mercy, His forgiveness and His peace. In the words of Moses (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8), we are supposed to observe the commandments of the Lord and not our worldly commands of riches, honour and glory. There is power only in God's commandments and not in the diabolic passions, hypocritcal pursuits of the human person. So let's not control others with our passions or pursuits instead let God control others and us as well with his warmth and affection. Let us be "doers" of the Word, not merely hearers of it. It means we are called to work for justice, taking care of our brothers and sisters and living by the truth God has placed in our hearts as today's Psalm tells us (Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5). Because following Jesus means involving ourselves wholly and fully at the service of our Lord by living a life of holiness. 

Questions for reflections:

1. What values and ideals do we hold? 

2. Can we be seduced by human traditions which are not life giving? 

3. In the world around you, where do you see people “teaching human precepts as doctrines”?  Where do you see God’s commandments being neglected in favour of ‘human traditions’?

4. How can we ensure we do not lose sight of God’s concern for justice and peace? 

Prayer:

Lord, open our hearts to listen to your word and act on it. Prevent us from being seduced by human ways which can distract us from knowing and loving you. Keep our hearts close to you, so we may follow your teaching and bring life to others. Help us, Lord, to live an active faith that does justice, to walk blamelessly and do justice; to think truth in our hearts, not to slander with our tongue, not to harm our fellow brother or sister, so that we may live in the presence of the Lord, forever. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen. 

- Olvin Veigas, SJ 

28 August 2021