Readings for 30 August 2009
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year B

MP3 recording of this sermon


Today's Old Testament reading is taken from the Book of Deuteronomy, beginning at the 4th Chapter, and the 1st Verse:(Deut 4:1-2,6-8)

And now, O Israel, give heed to the statutes and the ordinances which I teach you, and do them; that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day?”


LECTURA DEL LIBRO DEL DEUTERONOMIO 4, 1-2.6-8

Moisés habló al pueblo diciendo:

-- Ahora, Israel, escucha los mandatos y decretos que yo os mando cumplir. Así viviréis y entrareis a tomar posesión de la tierra que el Señor Dios de vuestros padres os va a dar. Estos mandatos son vuestra sabiduría y vuestra inteligencia a los ojos de los pueblos que, cuando tengan noticia de todos ellos, dirán: "Cierto que esta gran nación es un pueblo sabio e inteligente." Y, en efecto, ¿hay alguna nación tan grande que tenga los dioses tan cerca como lo está el Señor Dios de nosotros siempre que lo invocamos? Y, ¿cuál es la gran nación, cuyos mandatos y decretos sean tan justos como toda esta Ley que hoy os doy?


Today’s Song of Praise is taken from Psalm 15:

R.  One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.

R.  One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
 
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.

R.  One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
shall never be disturbed.

R.  One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

El Salmo Responsorial es de Salmo 14:

R.- SEÑOR, ¿QUIÉN PUEDE HOSPEDARSE EN TU TIENDA?
El que procede honradamente
y practica la justicia,
el que tiene intenciones legales
y no calumnia con su lengua.

R.- SEÑOR, ¿QUIÉN PUEDE HOSPEDARSE EN TU TIENDA?

El que no hace mal a su prójimo
ni difama al vecino,
el que considera despreciable al impío
y honra a los que temen al Señor.

R.- SEÑOR, ¿QUIÉN PUEDE HOSPEDARSE EN TU TIENDA?br>

El que no retracta lo que juró
aun en daño propio,
el que no presta dinero a usura
ni acepta soborno contra el inocente.

R.- SEÑOR, ¿QUIÉN PUEDE HOSPEDARSE EN TU TIENDA?


Today's Epistle is taken from the Letter of St. James, beginning at the 1st Chapter and the 17th Verse (James 1:17-18,21b-22,27):

Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

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.
 

LECTURA DE LA CARTA DEL APÓSTOL SANTIAGO 1, 17-18.21b.22-27

>Todo beneficio y todo don perfecto viene de arriba, del Padre de los astros, en el cual no hay fases ni periodos de sombra. Por propia iniciativa, con la Palabra de la verdad, nos engendró, para que seamos como la primicia de sus criaturas. Aceptad dócilmente la Palabra que ha sido planteada y es capaz de salvarnos. Llevadla a la práctica y no os limitéis a escucharla engañándoos a vosotros mismos. La religión pura e intachable a los ojos de Dios Padre es ésta: visitar huérfanos y viudas en sus tribulaciones y no mancharse las manos con este mundo.


+A continuation of the Gospel of St. Mark, beginning at the 7th Chapter and the 1st Verse. (Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23):

Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?" And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."

And he called the people to him again, and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him."

For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man."


+Continuacion DEL SANTO EVANGELIO SEGÚN SAN MARCOS 7,1-8,14-15.21-23

En aquel tiempo se acercó a Jesús un grupo de fariseos con algunos letrados de Jerusalén y vieron que algunos discípulos comían con manos impuras (es decir, sin lavarse las manos). (Los fariseos, como los demás judíos, no comen sin lavarse antes las manos, restregando bien, aferrándose a la tradición de sus mayores, y al volver de la plaza no comen si lavarse antes, y se aferran a otras muchas tradiciones, de lavar vasos, jarras y ollas). Según eso, los fariseos y los letrados preguntaron a Jesús:

-- ¿Por qué comen tus discípulos con mano impuras y no siguen tus discípulos la tradición de los mayores?

Él les contestó:

-- Bien profetizó Isaías de vosotros, hipócritas, como está escrito: “Este pueblo me honra con los labios, pero su corazón está lejos de mí. El culto que me dan está vacío, porque la doctrina que enseñan son preceptos humanos.” Dejáis a un lado el mandamiento de Dios para aferraros a la tradición de los hombres.

En otra ocasión llamó Jesús a la gente y les dijo:

-- Escuchad y entended todos: Nada que entre de fuera puede hacer al hombre impuro; lo que sale de dentro es lo que hace impuro al hombre. Porque de dentro del corazón del hombre salen los malos propósitos, las fornicaciones, robos, homicidios, adulterios, codicias, injusticias, fraudes, desenfreno, envidia, difamación, orgullo, frivolidad. Todas esas maldades salen de dentro y hacen al hombre impuro.

Sermon
for 30 August 2009
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year B

Today's readings concentrate on Righteousness – both the Righteousness of obeying the Law, and the Righteousness of the Heart.

The Old Testament reading is taken from Moses' speech to the people of Israel, praising the wisdom and clarity of the Law received from the Lord. He brags that other nations will envy Israel their perfect laws and close relationship with the Lord.

The Song of Praise, with its refrain:

"One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.”,

echos both Righteousnesses – faintly that of the Law, and boldly that of the heart – the heart schooled in the Spirit of the Law, the heart schooled in Love – love of neighbor (philadelphos in Greek -- “brotherly love).

We are taught in Chapter 6 and Verse 5 of Deuteronomy that “...you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Jesus repeats this in the Gospel, and adds: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

It is from this love, this philadelphos, that Justice and Righteousness flow from our hearts – for if we love one another, how then can we harm our fellow man, reproach our neighbor, lend money at outrageous interest, or do injustice?

St. James, the brother of the Lord, makes the point in today's Epistle that both Grace and Law come from the Father in Heaven, who brought us upon the earth to be an example of His Love. And we show forth that Love by our actions – by being active Christians, not just mouth Christians.

“Receive the word,” James says; “But be doers of the word, not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” He calls us to help the afflicted, and not allow our own laziness and appetites to lead us away from Righteousness.

In contrast to certain preachers nowadays, who say that all that is needed is “faith (that's Mouth Christianity)”, Jesus makes the point in the Gospels that we must show our active faith by our love of others. He also says that if we do not have that inner Love, that inner Righteousness, what we show in our lives is selfishness and foolishness.

Let us pray, then, that the Father will give us the Grace to show forth the Love and Righteousness He demands of us in His spiritual Law.

In the name of the Father +
And of the Son +
And of the Holy Spirit +

Amen

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