Daily Readings - Sun Sep 01 2024

¹Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.²Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.⁶Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."⁷What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?⁸And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

James

Chapter 1

¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.¹⁸He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.²¹Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Mark

Chapter 7

¹The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and²saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed.³(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.⁴When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles. )⁵So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?"⁶He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.⁷They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'⁸You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."¹⁴Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.¹⁵Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'"²¹For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,²²greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.²³All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the importance of living a life rooted in genuine faith and true devotion to God. The first reading from Deuteronomy emphasizes the need to follow God’s commandments as a way of life, not just a set of rules. Moses urges the Israelites to observe these teachings carefully, for they are the source of wisdom and understanding. The second reading from James reinforces this idea, reminding us that every good gift comes from God and that we must be “doers of the Word, not listeners only.” James also highlights the importance of caring for the vulnerable and keeping ourselves pure in a world often tainted by sin. In the Gospel, Jesus confronts the Pharisees and scribes, who are more concerned with outward traditions than the purity of the heart. He quotes Isaiah to point out their hypocrisy, saying that they honor God with their lips but their hearts are far from Him. Jesus then teaches the crowd that it is not what enters from outside that defiles a person, but rather the evil thoughts and actions that come from within. This teaching challenges us to examine our own hearts and lives, ensuring that our faith is not just about external practices but about a deep, inner transformation. These readings call us to reflect on our own lives and ensure that our faith is authentic and lived out in love and compassion. Let us not be like the Pharisees, focused on outward appearances, but instead, let us cultivate hearts that are pure, humble, and surrendered to God. May we strive to be doers of the Word, living in a way that reflects the wisdom and love of God in all we do.