During my Freshman year of college, one of the first courses I took was an Introduction to Catholic Theology.  Having been Catholic my whole life, and, having been involved in youth group, volunteering to teach CCD to the little kids, I figured this would be an easy A.  That type of thinking was short-lived.  In fact, this class caused so many mind melts for me, and was challenging me in ways I had never anticipated.

Thanks so much for stopping by to read this homily for the 22nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, September 1, 2024.  I appreciate your sharing this on your social media posts and your feedback and comments…  I’m also grateful for all those who’ve asked for the audio version and share them as well at SOUNDCLOUD click HERE or from ITUNES as a podcast HERE.  May the Lord be glorified in your reading and sharing- Father Jim

For example, one of our first assignments was to read the first three chapters of Genesis.  This makes sense if you are studying God, which is what theology is; opening the first book of the bible and reflecting on Creation seems a logical place to begin.  I thought this would be a piece of cake – I knew all this already: creation in seven days, light, land, water, and then the story of Adam and Eve.  But as I read through these chapters, I never realized how these were two distinct creation stories, seemingly contradictory.  One described God creating everything with all of humanity, men and women, on the 6th day, while the other story focused on Adam, Eve’s creation from his rib, and the whole serpent incident happening.

I was so unsettled and disturbed—so much so that our professor, a priest named Father Matt, actually lived in the dorm with us—that I couldn’t wait to go down and knock on his door.  I asked him, “Which one is correct?” and he answered, “Both.  See you in class.”

That moment marked my first deep dive into understanding scripture.  I learned that while the Bible is the Word of God and holds truth, it is not always a historical record to be read in a linear, factual way.  That there’s a lot of different literary styles and genres in this “book” which isn’t one book but a collection of 73 books.  So in Genesis the two creation stories reveal different aspects of God’s truth: the first emphasizes His power and the wonders of creation, while the second highlights human freedom and the consequences of our choices

This was both fascinating and unsettling.  It was exciting to explore these stories more deeply, yet I was shocked by how much I didn’t know despite being familiar with them my whole life.

If I thought that was dramatic, I really wasn’t prepared for when we got to the Ten Commandments.  I didn’t go to Catholic School, so I didn’t have them memorized in numerical order.  (And truth be told, I’d have to look it up right now to get the order correct) But if I could sit and think I could come up with the 10.  And Overall, I was confident I was good in following them.  A few mess-ups here and there, like I had missed Mass on Sunday a couple of times and had to go to confession for not honoring the Sabbath.  But overall, I felt I knew these and was following them.

This was a few years before the new Catechism of the Catholic Church was published, so I forgot what book our professor was using; it might have been a working document before the final publication of the Catechism or something.   Because it was seemingly as long as the current 100 pages of the Catechism on the 10 commandments.   What stands out to me was getting to the Fifth Commandment, “Thou Shalt not kill,” and thinking, okay, this was one I didn’t have to worry about – I had never killed someone… Then it raised issues like war, self-defense, the death penalty, abortion, and euthanasia, and I began to see the complexities involved and where this affects a lot more topics than I iniitally considered.  But what truly unsettled me was learning about “respect for the souls of others” and “scandal”—including gossip and cursing.  I never had considered that I could be “guilty” of “killing someone’s” reputation, hurting their self-image, self-worthand that these actions could be seen as ways of violating the Fifth Commandment by harming others with our words and attitudes.  It continued with discussing the importance of taking care of our personal health, I was confronted with my own poor habits, particularly as a college freshman— I couldn’t blame everything on the terrible cafeteria food, especially going to the diner at 1 am and eating Cheese Fries with Gravy – or the terrible sleep habits I had fallen into not having Mom and Dad monitoring me anymore.   All of this led me to knock on Father Matt’s door again, this time asking if I could go to confession.

Those experiences came to mind when reflecting on these readings today.  Why do we follow God’s law and His commandments?  What does He expect?  What’s our image of God?  It’s not uncommon for people to get defensive or feel uncomfortable over those questions.  Nor is that a new phenomenon.  That’s one of the issues that come to the surface with this Gospel reading.  This back-and-forth between Jesus and the Pharisees is one dramatic example.  The Pharisees are publicly humiliating Jesus’ disciples for not following Jewish rituals.  Jesus’ countering them can lead us to think he’s dismissing them.  It’s not that those things were unimportant.  They had come from a good place – where their ancestors were trying to be thoughtful and intentional about honoring God, pursuing holiness, and making that a part of their everyday lives – from how they dressed to ate.  Those were all beautiful additions.  But at this point they were focusing on those little things and ignoring their heart and origin.  It would be like someone fixating and obsessing over a particular leaf from a tree and forgetting about the branches, the trunk, the roots of the tree.

Jesus addresses this fixation on external observances rather than the deeper truth and spirit behind them.  He challenges the Pharisees and, by extension, us to reflect on the core of our faith and how we live it out.  It’s not merely about adhering to rituals and traditions but about the state of our hearts and our relationships with God and others.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus reminds us that what comes from within truly defiles us, not just external factors.  He’s calling us to examine our inner selves—our thoughts, attitudes, and intentions.  He’s urging us to recognize that genuine purity and faith are not measured by outward compliance but by an inner transformation that aligns with God’s love and justice.

The readings from Deuteronomy and James echo this message.  In Deuteronomy, Moses emphasizes the importance of adhering to God’s commandments as a sign of wisdom and understanding among the nations.  The commandments are not merely rules but a way of life that should flow from a heart deeply attuned to God’s will.  On the other hand, James speaks of being doers of the word, not just hearers.  He highlights that true religion involves not only hearing God’s commands but also living them out with sincerity and compassion, especially towards those in need.

This call to internal conversion and authentic living is central to our faith.  It’s about more than just following rules—it’s about embodying the love of Christ in our daily lives.  It’s about allowing God’s word to transform us from the inside out, so that our actions, words, and thoughts reflect His grace and truth.

So, as we reflect on these readings today, let us ask ourselves: Are we merely following the letter of the law, or are we striving to understand and live the spirit of it?  Are we fixated on outward appearances or are we seeking to cultivate a heart that truly loves and serves others as Christ did?  Let us pray for the grace to move beyond superficial observance and into a deeper relationship with God that influences every aspect of our lives.

May we always seek to honor God with our hearts and actions so that we may live out the fullness of His commandments in a way that truly reflects His love and righteousness.