The Dilemma of the Law : 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's readings are interesting to me. In the first reading (Dt 4:1-2, 6-8) Moses lays down the law.

you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.
Observe them carefully,
for thus will you give evidence
of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,
who will hear of all these statutes and say,
‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’

Then James writes in the second reading (Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27):

Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Followed by the Gospel (Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23) where Mark describes Jesus' confrontation with Pharisees. This is where the Pharisees try to get Jesus and his disciples in trouble for not following their strict literal, some would say fundamentalistic, interpretation of the Mosiac law. This is where Jesus steps up and teaches them a thing:

“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;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”

He summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.

“From within people, from their hearts,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Lord, grant me this day the gifts of wisdom and understanding. May I be wise enough to know what is right and wrong. May I understand the words of the Lord so I may be helpful.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Talk Radio = Madness in Crowds?

I overheard a conversation this morning and couldn’t help but think talk radio plays to the madness of the crowd. Empathy is something talk radio will never promote. A wise friend of mine once told me, the IQ of the group is equal to the square root of summation of the groups IQ. In other words the larger the group the less intelligent they become. To me talk radio is the square root factor.

A few examples of this type of mob behavior are: Wild West posse, Hitler’s brown shirts, lynch mobs during the 60’s, and Iran’s Pasdaran. To me talk radio is good at getting the froth of individually intelligent people yet who are collectively an irrational mass looking something zombies out of the 1978 horror film, Dawn of the Dead.

If you have the time, you might be interested in a podcast This I Believe essay, Thoughts for Tomorrow, written in the 1950’s by Bernard Baruch. His words written over 50 years ago still ring true today. Here is a link to the essay and the mp3 file so you can listen to his essay in Bernard’s own voice - http://thisibelieve.org/essay/16354/.

The readings from Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

I had a hard time deciding upon which of the three readings from Sunday to list. I personally like the theme of this week, which is "Wisdom." She is one of the most precise gifts of the Holy Spirit. If you think about it, wisdom is what Paul describes in his letter to the Philippians -

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is love, whatever is gracious. Phil 4, 8

Here are the first and second readings from Sunday.

Prv 9:1-6

Wisdom has built her house,
she has set up her seven columns;
she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine,
yes, she has spread her table.
She has sent out her maidens; she calls
from the heights out over the city:
“Let whoever is simple turn in here;
To the one who lacks understanding, she says,
Come, eat of my food,
and drink of the wine I have mixed!
Forsake foolishness that you may live;
advance in the way of understanding.”

Eph 5:15-20

Brothers and sisters:
Watch carefully how you live,
not as foolish persons but as wise,
making the most of the opportunity,
because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not continue in ignorance,
but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
giving thanks always and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Sweet 16 x3

This weekend my three girls turned sweet 16!
16 years ago we were holding three new born premies in the St Joseph's Hospital NICU. Literally, I was holding their tiny bodies in my palm of my hand. They were tiny but we were blessed by God and graced by His holy Spirit for the past 16 years. Without the three of you our life experiences would have been limited to those of your older brother.

Because of you four wonderful kids, your mother and I have been given opportunities to meet some very wonderful people. Thank you!

I love you!