Word to the Wise
Friday, August 23, 2024 - Friday in the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
[Ezek 37:1-14 and Matt 22:34-40]"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" [Jesus] said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments." [Matthew]
AUGUST 23 ST. ROSE OF LIMA, O.P.
The Mosaic Law contained 613 precepts! The relative importance among these was a matter of considerable debate in Jesus' time. Jesus cut through all the knots and tangles of observance with two of the precepts, one from Deuteronomy 6:5 and the other from Leviticus 19:18. When he says that the whole Law and the Prophets depend on these, he speaks as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. But he is doing more than settling a debated question. He is speaking to all those who are caught up in the trap of observances and lose sight of the whole purpose of those observances. There is an important lesson in this for us Catholics.
The range of liturgical and devotional observances of Catholic faith is enormous! They begin with the sacraments and other officially approved rituals but then spread out through such traditions as the rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet, novenas, indulgence related devotions, gestures (genuflections, bows, the Sign of the Cross) etc.. Although each of the sacraments has specific requirements of "matter and form," there are customs and observances that grow up around them (communion on the tongue, in the hand, standing, kneeling). Celebrants are allowed a certain latitude in some parts. All of these have a way of assuming importance beyond their status as custom.
The major question is the one posed to Jesus. The response is clear. Anything adopted by the Church or local custom as a requirement for the expression of our faith must be measured by how it enables us to love God and neighbor. It must be recognized that sometimes it's not the fault of the particular observance (sacraments, for example) but the attitude that we bring to it that frustrates the goal. Jesus has given us the standard to measure both observance and attitude. The rest is up to us. AMEN
Comment on Reflection
<< Previous Date [Back to List] Next Date >>