Sep 2 - Sunday 22nd Week in OT

+ Our readings today have to do with “being smart!” In our world, in our day, in our age there seems to be no shortage of “smarts!” Now, probably more than ever, so many people are virtually and remarkably “expert” in a wide variety of topics. No doubt the “search engine of the ages: Google” has contributed to this glut of information. To some degree it is very handy and comforting to know that all kinds of facts and figures, definitions and recommendations are only a click away!

But, at the same time that this torrent of information is now available, there is a very unsettling prospect that incomplete and inaccurate information may abound, and information about what really counts, what really matters, what really is going to contribute to our eternal salvation (which ought to be the first priority of every one of us) is sliding down the priority ladder to a dangerously low level. And even the information that we can get about “eternal salvation” by “Googling it” could have very little real accuracy to it, proper context, or spiritual healthy recommendations from it!

And so the vague idea that “God has something important to tell us” gets drowned out by a great load of pointless, useless and even harmful information. But isn’t that really one of the main reasons we come to church: to hear something different, something more on-track, something more truth-sounding!  In fact, if we take a look at our readings today, we see that people have been scanning the news for what they want to hear, rejecting what they don’t like and filing the remainder in a cabinet in the back of the room for ages unending! The people of Israel, for example, knew very well what God expected of them – he was very explicit in dictating his commandments on stone – “the latest form of email” that he could employ at the time; and he told them “do not edit this text at all” – leave it “as is” and you will enjoy my favor, my help and my protection. But as we will see, the people thought they were “smarter than God,” and they edited the text quite a bit, they added a few things here and there, and finally by the time Jesus arrived – the law was so modified and edited that it was hardly recognizable!

 In the gospel passage Jesus –bringing up the whole matter in the context of simple discussion about table ablutions – makes clear how far off the mark the people of God had gotten – thinking that impurity comes into a man from the outside – he tells them emphatically that what defiles comes from within a man, from his heart, such as evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance and folly! No question about it! Jesus hits the nail on the head! And the Jews are put in their place! And he also puts our day and age in our place as well – especially as all kind of truths and untruths swirl regarding the hard to fathom in any case goings on in the government of our country and the leadership of the church.

What is critically important at this juncture of fact and fiction is to SEEK THE TRUTH! SEEK THE AUTHENTIC! SEEK THE GENUINE! SEEK THE REAL: and that would be JESUS CHRIST. Through, with and in Him, we shall arrive at conclusions and solutions as to what needs to be done to regain, restrengthen and renew these critically damaged institutions and anchors of our life.

For us Catholics we have been torpedoed on the two very foundational securities and mainstays.

PRAYER FIRST! Prayer of worship, prayer of Liturgy of the Hours, and LET US TAKE IT UP AGAIN: PRAYER OF THE ROSARY! this will keep our focus exactly where it needs to be – and there will be a happy ending for all the willing to participate in.

We are called upon today by St. James to be, then, as Mary was called, to be doers of God’s word and will – just as he gave it, initially in the commandments, expanding it in the Sermon on the Mount and the Golden Rule – leaving it alone after that - and then all will be well – truth, justice and charity will abide in the land and in our hearts and we will really be smart people in the way that counts: the spiritual way that affects everything we do in the material world!

Such is your life, such is your vocation, O child of God! You are called today to be co-creator and co-redeemer with Christ – of the very world in which you live!