+ Our first reading today sees Solomon praying, with
hands upraised, in the temple that he has built for the Lord God of Israel. He
first acknowledges the infinite greatness of God, and man’s lowliness and
nothingness before him; then he asks the Lord to protect the lowly creatures
who will come to the temple to pray and to ask for mercy upon themselves and
their countrymen. Listen from your
heavenly dwelling, Solomon implores, and
grant pardon. [This is reminiscent of the installation and opening of the
Holy Doors during this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy – the lowly and the
poor who will enter to ask mercy upon themselves and their countrymen will
happen today in churches and chapels all over the world today will be like
those coming to Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem.]
The
gospel passage finds Jesus condemning the Pharisees and some
scribes who had come from Jerusalem to observe him and find something offensive
in his words or actions. Jesus does not disappoint. Now, some of Jesus’
disciples started to eat lunch without washing their hands: this is not allowed
by man-made Jewish custom. Jesus is quick to point out that these religious
frauds, who wait like vultures for any misstep of his or his disciples, regard
only their own man-made rules and disregard God’s rules (that are preserved and
prescribed in the Books of the Torah that are kept in the Holy of Holies in the
Temple of Solomon). You disregard God’s
commandment, but cling to human tradition! You are fools! You hypocrites!
May
we today disregard any man-made customs and traditions that interfere with deep
communion with God, and cling
only to what is of God – so that our days will be filled with peace and the
consolation of knowing that even though what is of God may not always be easy,
it will always be right and helpful for our salvation and that of others!
Incline
our hearts, O God, to your decrees; and favor us with your law. Write
it in our hearts and help us live it out!
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