Sunday Homily, September 2, 2018, 22nd, Ordinary Time
Welcome in, Cody & Ben. So good to see you.
Readings:
Deuteronomy 4, 1-2, 6-8, Moses said to the people…
Psalm 15, The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
James 1, 17-18, 21-22, 27, All good giving is from above.
Mark 7, 1-8, 14-15, 21-23, You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.
Welcome in, daughter & dad, Michelle & Gilbert. So good to see you, too.
Homily: Our gospel begins with Jesus being rather upset about the traditions of the elders and their legalism that disregards goodness, justice and compassion. Based on last Sunday’s story in the Dallas Morning News about abuse that still hasn’t been addressed by our hierarchy, our male leaders are not practicing love, or common sense.
Thanks, Tori, for being a super candle lighter.
The Church states a human tradition when it says a priest cannot be married, for this should not be so, for Peter was married in the Good News of Jesus Christ, and Paul’s Letter to Timothy is quite clear when it addresses the lifestyle of a bishop with these words: A bishop is to be blameless; the husband of one wife.
Thanks, Georgie, for reading The Blessing of the Candles
Likewise, the Church states a human tradition when it says that women can not be ordained, but this too is not so, for St. Paul identifies Phoebe in his letter to the Romans, as a deaconess that he works with, and the inspired writers of the Mark and John gospel both identify a servant whose ministry is that of a deaconess.
The Best music, Shonda & Ben.
With what can I compare today in the Church to the hundreds of minor legalistic, human traditions held by the Jewish elders that caused Jesus to be upset? Recently there is a law in the Church that the Easter Candle can’t be placed in front of or beside the altar unless it was 100 percent bee’s wax, and one of our most prominent cardinals has recently made a Church law that the most expensive and tasteful wine affordable should be used for the altar wine.
Team mates and Big Sister & Younger Brother, Georgie & Buddy.
Besides all of these human traditions, the theologians of the Church have added one of their own. In the Mark gospel there are only two references to Mary as a mother. In the first one she thought that Jesus was going out of his mind. His response to those who had surrounded him, was this, ‘Who is my mother, brother, and sister?’ Those who welcome and live my words.’
Mary is also referred to only twice in the John gospel, and again not by the name Mary, but only as mother.
Mike homilizing on the readings. Thanks for your ideas, Mike.
The Matthew and Luke gospels have what we call infancy narratives. In both, Mary gives birth to Jesus Christ. So far, so good and wonderful. However, in the John gospel we are taught that God is spirit, and from the very beginning [of everything] he, the Word, Jesus Christ, is spirit, in oneness with God the Father. We know that Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ; but how can this be since he is spirit?’ The answer is this: the inspired writers have made Mary a metaphor in the Matthew, Luke and John gospels. As the written expectation of the Law, Prophets, and Psalms for the coming of the Messiah, she gives birth to the written Good News of Jesus Christ, where he is present through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Offertory Team, Becky, Grace, & Tom.