Daily Readings - Sun Sep 02 2018
Deuteronomy
1"And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.2You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you.6Keep 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.'7For 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?8And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?
James
17Every good gift 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.18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.21Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Mark
1Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem,2they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.3(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders,4and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches. )5And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"6And 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;7in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'8You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."14And he called the people to him again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand:15There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him."21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the relationship between faith, tradition, and the heart. In the first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Israelites of the importance of following God’s commandments without adding or subtracting from them. This emphasizes the sacredness of God’s word and the need to live by it. The reading from James complements this by urging us to be “doers of the word” and not merely listeners. True religion, James says, is about caring for the vulnerable and keeping oneself pure in a world often dominated by sin. The Gospel from Mark challenges us to examine our priorities. Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for focusing on external rituals, like washing hands, while neglecting the deeper truths of God’s commandments. He reminds us that what defiles a person comes not from outside but from the heart—evil thoughts, adulteries, murders, and greed.
These readings are connected by a common theme: the call to live a life of integrity and authenticity. Deuteronomy warns against distorting God’s word, James emphasizes putting faith into action, and Mark’s Gospel exposes the hypocrisy of prioritizing human traditions over God’s will. Together, they remind us that true faith is not about outward appearances or rituals but about the condition of our hearts and how we live out our beliefs in daily life.
As we apply these readings to our lives, let us ask ourselves: Are we living by God’s word, or are we adding our own twists to it? Are we merely going through the motions of faith, or are we allowing it to transform us from within? Let us strive to be people of integrity, whose actions reflect the love and justice of God. May we keep our hearts pure and our lives aligned with the teachings of Christ, so that we may truly be his disciples, living in a way that honors him not just with our lips but with our lives.