Homily For Tuesday, Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 11th February 2025

 

Readings: Gen.1:20-2:4, Ps.8, Mark 7:1-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THESE PEOPLE HONOUR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME

Oftentimes, we find it difficult to separate the commandments of God from human traditions. This no doubt plays out in our making and interpreting of laws, and it has great consequences in our relationship with God and our neighbours, just as we have it in our Gospel reading today, where we heard how the Pharisees multiplied religious laws and rituals to such an extent that it was impossible to know them all, talk more of observing them. So Jesus accuses them of neglecting the true commandment of God over their petty regulations. 

These petty laws and traditions were some highly detailed but unwritten human laws which the Scribes and Pharisees regarded as having the same binding force as the Law God gave to Moses. However, Jesus was not totally against these laws and regulations. What he was against was the legalism by which the mere observance of some external actions was equated with being a devout lover of God. Hence, he reminded them of the quotes from the prophet Isaiah, saying: “This people honours me only with lip service, while their hearts are far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless; the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.” (Is 29:13). 

So, he made it clear that the real commandment of God is the unconditional love of God and neighbour, which is evident in our first reading where we heard God saying, ‘Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild beasts and all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth.’ Thus, God created man in the image of himself with laws and regulations to guide us. But we have neglected these laws in favour of what are purely human traditions. 

Hence, Jesus goes ahead to illustrates the hypocrisy involved in these ugly attitudes by showing how some supposedly devout people neglected the basic responsibility of respect and care for parents by claiming that they had consecrated all that they owned to God and the temple while, in fact, they are keeping it for their own personal use. So, for one to declare something to be “Corban,” an offering devoted to God when his parents are in need, is in direct conflict with the commandment of God that says: honour your father and mother.

Dear friends, let love and goodwill be the foundation for making and implementing our laws. There can be some elements of Pharisee in us, and these happen whenever we focus our attention on laws while neglecting the spirit of the law, which is the real focus of today’s Gospel. Sometimes, we neglect the essential service of God because of some religious regulations. We often judge people based on our human standards. Sometimes, we piously go through all kinds of devotional exercises, but deep down in our hearts is gossip and destructive criticism of others. 

Therefore, we are called today not to be like the Pharisees by holding onto unnecessary human traditions; rather, we should focus our attention more on the teaching of Jesus about the love of God and neighbour, and this should guide our implementation of every other law and regulations. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, out of pride and greediness, we have often neglected the true meaning of your commandment of love but hold on to unnecessary human traditions which lead us into destructive criticism of others. Help to change these ugly attitudes to embrace your teaching of love and humility. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.