Introduction to the Liturgy of the Day

The greatest gift each of us has ever received was the gift of life itself. That gift was given to us most directly by our parents, whose life in turn was given to them by their parents, and so on. But ultimately the author of all life, the giver of every great gift, is God. We come together today in thanksgiving for that precious gift, which led to the gift of eternal life, promised by God’s Son to all who follow him.
 

Introduction to the Liturgy of the Word

Do we take God’s word to heart and act upon it? Moses—about to reveal the commandments—calls on the people to observe God’s word carefully and faithfully. In his letter, James asks us to welcome God’s word and put it into action. In the Gospel, Jesus warns the scribes and Pharisees that they confuse human tradition with God’s commands. Listening to God’s word, let us consider how it guides our actions.
 

Reflections

• Jesus quotes Isaiah when responding to the Pharisees and scribes: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Mark 7:6). How do we honor the Lord with our hearts rather than our lips? For Moses, it was by obedience. Obedience to God’s commandments, whole and entire, is what he demanded from the people. Living in accord with God’s commands was possible when one took God’s word to heart. It would then in turn inspire nonbelievers because they would recognize the wisdom and intelligence behind these laws after seeing the justice and well-being of the Chosen People.

• Jesus paints a vivid picture of hypocrisy by quoting Isaiah’s contrast between lips and hearts, between giving lip service and being moved in our hearts to do something. It is not that what we say is unimportant, but it is not nearly as important as our impulses and motivations within our hearts. Jesus lists all sorts of detestable impulses that can come from within our hearts, qualities and behavior that defile our purity much more seriously than failing to purify our hands or our belongings. If your outward cleanliness does not reflect your inner attitude, it has lost its meaning.

• How do we show our gratitude to someone who’s given us something wonderful? We may give them something in return or we can share it with someone else. James tells us that every perfect gift comes from God and in fact God has planted the word of truth in each of us. What should we do with that word of God in us? James is clear: “Be doers of the word and not hearers only” (James 1:22). To thank God for giving us the word, we share it, we put it into action.
 

Question of the Week

What will I do this week to put God’s word into action? Has God’s word truly penetrated my heart?