R. (2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"
He responded,
"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,
as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."
He went on to say,
"How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
'If someone says to father or mother,
"Any support you might have had from me is qorban"'
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things."
The Special Intentions of Pope Francis:
For February:
Dear Jesus,
WE pray for every parish. May our parishes, placing communion at the center, increasingly become communities of faith, fraternity, and welcome toward those most in need.
For the week of:
February 5, 2023
That we let our light shine before others and be a bold witness of our faith!
The Word Among Us
"You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition." (Mark 7:13)
In today's Gospel, some Pharisees and scribes ask what appears to be an innocent question: why did Jesus disciples eat with unclean hands? After all, Jewish tradition was clear about the importance of washing hands as part of ritual purification. But Jesus' rebuke is clear: traditions were meant to be at the service of God's commandments, not the other way around. They should never undermine the commandments or give us the excuse to ignore them (Mark 7:9).
So how can we ensure that we are not "nullify[ing] the word of God" in favor of something less important (Mark 7:13)? Let's reflect on some of the Beatitudes, which are among Jesus' most important teachings, to see if we can find some helpful answers.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Jesus teaches (Matthew 5:3). He invites us to let go of our attachment to material things and to trust in God's provision for us instead. Often the "smart" thing seems to be to amass and hold tightly to our resources. But can you count yourself "blessed" even when your resources are limited or when you feel prompted to give generously?
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" (Matthew 5:7). Jesus calls us to forgive those who have hurt us, but some of our family or cultural traditions might tell us that it's acceptable to hold a grudge or a judgment, especially against someone who doesn't acknowledge their role in hurting us. Are you willing to let go of these judgments and trust that God's mercy is as much for those who might have hurt you as it is for you?
"Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10). It's hardly considered a blessing to be persecuted! In fact, people might consider us forsaken by God while we endure various trials. But Jesus asks us to consider ourselves blessed, and even to rejoice when we experience opposition or misunderstandings--because we're becoming more like him!
Allow God's word, and not human traditions, to shape your perspective today. Let it help you leave behind any ways that keep you from following him with your whole heart.
"Lord, I want to trust you and rely on your ways."
Living Faith
A Duty Toward Nature
"Then God said: "...Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, ...and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground." (Genesis 1:26)
My house is one hundred years old. Its history matters to me. People built it with care and attention. My family and those before us lived and loved here. Because of that, I feel a responsibility to the house. When it needs repair, we fix what we can, replace what we must and make changes with a light touch.
Do we do the same with the earth? Creation is God's gift to us--ours to enjoy but not to exploit. St. John Paul II said that Christians must realize that "their duty towards nature and the Creator, are an essential part of their faith." This is an important responsibility, like parenting or preserving an heirloom. After all, the earth has been home to every one of God's children--even to Jesus himself! It is ours to protect and pass on.
"Creator God, help us care for the world you made."
Karla Manternach
Living With Christ
Today's Good News
"When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place--What is man...?" (Psalm 8:4-5)
Stargazing invites renewed perspective. Nothing confirms a sense of our earth-bound feet or our human limitations as much as a long gaze at the heavens. To really get a sense of smallneww, I'm told, we might go the Kalahari Desert where the Bushmen, practiced in contemplative listening, can actually hear the stars singing. Or the Arizona desert, which illustrates why ancient anstronomers spoke of the night sky as the dome of the world, studded with lights seemingly near enough to touch.
In the face of such marvels created by the hand of God, who are we, asks the psalmist. Who indeed? Graced and beloved.
Sr. Chris Koellhoffer, I.H.M.