Daily Readings - Sun Aug 29 2021

¹"And now, O Israel, listen to the precepts and judgments which I am teaching to you, so that, by doing these, you may live, and you may enter and possess the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, will give to you²You shall not add to the word which I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it. Preserve the commandments of the Lord your God which I am teaching to you⁶And you shall observe and fulfill these in practice. For this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples, so that, upon hearing all these precepts, they may say: ‘Lo, a wise and understanding people, a great nation.⁷Neither is there any other nation so great, which has its gods so near to them, as our God is present to all our petitions⁸For what other nation is there so renowned as to have ceremonies, and just judgments, and the entire law that I will set forth today before your eyes

James

Chapter 1

¹⁷Every excellent gift and every perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor any shadow of alteration¹⁸For by his own will he produced us through the Word of truth, so that we might be a kind of beginning among his creatures²¹Because of this, having cast away all uncleanness and an abundance of malice, receive with meekness the newly-grafted Word, which is able to save your souls²²So be doers of the Word, and not listeners only, deceiving yourselves²⁷This is religion, clean and undefiled before God the Father: to visit orphans and widows in their tribulations, and to keep yourself immaculate, apart from this age

Mark

Chapter 7

¹And the Pharisees and some of the scribes, arriving from Jerusalem, gathered together before him²And when they had seen certain ones from his disciples eating bread with common hands, that is, with unwashed hands, they disparaged them³For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat without repeatedly washing their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders⁴And when returning from the market, unless they wash, they do not eat. And there are many other things which have been handed down to them to observe: the washings of cups, and pitchers, and bronze containers, and beds⁵And so the Pharisees and the scribes questioned him: "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but they eat bread with common hands?⁶But in response, he said to them: "So well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, just as it has been written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me⁷And in vain do they worship me, teaching the doctrines and precepts of men.⁸For abandoning the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men, to the washing of pitchers and cups. And you do many other things similar to these.¹⁴And again, calling the crowd to him, he said to them: "Listen to me, all of you, and understand¹⁵There is nothing from outside a man which, by entering into him, is able to defile him. But the things which proceed from a man, these are what pollute a man²¹For from within, from the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders²²thefts, avarice, wickedness, deceitfulness, homosexuality, an evil eye, blasphemy, self-exaltation, foolishness²³All these evils proceed from within and pollute a man.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the essence of faith and how it should be lived out in our lives. The first reading from Deuteronomy emphasizes the importance of adhering to God’s commandments, not merely as a set of rules, but as a way of life that reflects our wisdom and closeness to God. Moses urges the Israelites to preserve these teachings without alteration, highlighting their role as a chosen people with a unique relationship with God. This passage serves as a foundation, reminding us that our actions should be guided by divine wisdom. The second reading from James builds on this by focusing on the practical aspects of faith. James encourages us to humbly receive the Word of God and to live it out in our actions. He defines true religion as caring for the vulnerable and maintaining personal purity. This reading challenges us to move beyond mere intellectual acceptance of faith to a life of compassion and integrity, where our actions reflect our beliefs. In the Gospel, Mark contrasts external rituals with internal purity. Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for prioritizing traditions over God’s commandments, emphasizing that true defilement comes from the heart, not from external sources. This teaching invites us to examine our own hearts, recognizing that our thoughts and actions have a profound impact on our spiritual state. Together, these readings guide us to a deeper understanding of faith. They remind us that while traditions and rules have their place, the core of our faith lies in living with a pure heart and demonstrating our beliefs through compassionate actions. As we navigate our daily lives, let us strive to embody this truth, allowing our faith to transform not just our minds, but our hearts and actions as well.