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Word in Worship Reflections Forum, Schönaich (2026)

Word in Worship Reflections Forum aims at providing succinct analysis and interpretation of the Bible Readings of the Sunday Mass following the Catholic Lectionary.

04/06/2023

THE MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY: GOD’S LOVE CALLS US TO FELLOWSHIP

SUNDAY REFLECTIONS
TRINITY SUNDAY, CYCLE A
4TH JUNE, 2023

By Fr Emeka Okite

1. God is one in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is one in Trinity. We can only know this because God has chosen to reveal himself as such. But in this revelation, the Trinity still remains a mystery, a wonder. As humans, it is our inclination to try to domesticate wonder, to clarify awe, to demystify transcendence. On the solemn feast of the Most Holy Trinity, there is the temptation to attempt to present a treatise on God, defining God’s nature in precise categories that purport to explain the Trinity. We may feel compelled to try desperately, with sundry descriptions, illustrations, and props to render the mystery intelligible. But that is not what this feast is about. Instead, the liturgy invites us to worship and contemplate God for who he is; to consider the beauty and goodness of his being, from which his actions flow. We are invited to acknowledge the mystery in faith, and to worship the Trinity in awe, and to accept the littleness of our intellect in the face of divine realities. For, as Rudolf Otto puts it, God is _mysterium tremendum et fascinans_ (a mystery that inspires awe and fear but is at the same time fascinating, attractive).

2. But the liturgy also invites us to listen to the biblical texts and in so doing be led into an encounter with God, to locate God within our lived experiences, and to let the Divine transform us.

3. In the 1st Reading (Ex 34:4-6, 8-9), we are presented an extraordinary encounter between Moses and God. The narrative context of this story goes back to the sin of the golden calf in Ex 32. Moses pleads with God and God forgives and spares the people (32:11-14). In chapter 33, God promises his presence will go with Israel all the way. But Moses asks for more. He asks God to reveal himself as he is: *“Show me your glory”* (Ex 33:18). God concedes and when God passes before Moses, he utters his own name: “Yahweh, Yahweh, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (34:6).

4. This scene is very moving. God reveals to Moses that his nature is to be found in mercy, love and faithfulness. This quality of mercy and love is linked with the divine name, “Yahweh”, revealed in Ex 3:15, a name which semantically denotes God’s active and abiding presence. Against the thinking of the ancients that God is far removed from the human world and human affairs, Yahweh declares himself to be directly and intimately involved. In its narrative context, God fully reveals his loving and merciful nature in the very act of forgiving Israel’s infidelity of the golden calf, showing them love instead. God remains always faithful to himself and his promise, and continues to love us notwithstanding our rebellions.

5. The highpoint in God’s revelation of his love is found in the person of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Jesus comes into the world as the abiding presence of God in the midst of humanity, the Immanuel. He is the personification of God’s love for us. You see, as believers, we easily profess our awareness of God’s love for us. And as evidence of God’s love, we can provide a list of blessings and favours received from God: life, family, success in education, in career and business, good health, financial wellbeing, etc. But only a few will remember that the supreme manifestation of God’s love is the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ, for our redemption. As the Gospel puts it: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). This is the New Testament’s summary definition of God’s love.

6. Very significant here is the verb “to give” employed by the Gospel of John to describe the presence of Jesus in the world. Jesus is the gift of the Father to the world. The same verb is again employed towards the end of the Gospel, and indeed severally by the New Testament authors, to portray the Son’s own self-giving, his death on the cross. There is thus the gift of the Father and the gift of Christ, and both are aimed at the redemption of humanity from sin and evil. Further, the same verb of giving is used to indicate the sending of the Holy Spirit: He is the advocate whom the Father will give. The Spirit is given to us to help us appreciate and extend this love of God.

7. While we acknowledge the love which God shows us in his Son and through the Holy Spirit, we are called to show similar love to fellow human beings. Our celebration of Trinity Sunday is not complete unless we realize this. God’s love for us and his abiding presence through the Incarnation of Jesus and the sending of the Holy Spirit is meant to create a loving relationship among us, a relation which is defined as _koinonia_ (communion or fellowship), and which translates itself into _diakonia_ (service).

8. Fellowship is a mutual expression of love among people, who realize that they are themselves loved and graced by God. Fellowship emanates from a practicalizing of God’s love in the daily interactions with others. It is the unifying principle of a truly loving society. In the absence of this love which creates fellowship, there can only exist rancour, division and injustice, and a community or society can be brought to the brink of self-destruction. That was the case in the Church in Corinth; and that is definitely the case in our world today.

9. We are often witnesses to what happens when love of God is not translated into daily life as fellowship among all peoples. More often than not we push God’s love to the side and allow inequities, injustice and racism or tribalism to hold sway, giving one race, tribe or group a sense of supremacy over others. This lack of love easily breeds injustice, discrimination, inter-ethnic divisiveness and hatred.

10. To combat this evil, we have to understand the practical meaning of the Trinity: God who is full of love and mercy, sent his Son, who is coeternal with him, as a manifestation of his presence among men, to reveal that love through his redemptive death. The Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son enables us to grasp the depth of this love and calls us to a communion of love with all. This communion of love, inspired by the Trinity, has the power to save our world.

11. The final words of Paul in his 2nd Letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor 13:11-13) may be relevant to all:
*Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you….*
*The grace of our Lord Jesus, the Love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all*

Fr Emeka Okite
4th June 2023, Trinity Sunday

07/04/2023

KILLING TRUTH

Reflections for Good Friday
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion
7th April, 2023

By Fr Emeka Okite

1. On Good Friday, Jesus is crucified and dies on the cross. The Gospel narratives that lead to this event are very clear on what is happening here on the hill of Calvary. Here is a good man who went about doing good, healing the sick and curing all forms of infirmities, feeding the hungry, preaching mercy, forgiveness and love, and teaching others to do likewise. But yet here he is, dying on the cross, condemned and crucified by those he sought to save. Could any death be more tragic than this?

2. When we look closely at the story of Good Friday, we notice that what is at stake is truth. In Jesus’ trial truth is put on trial, in his crucifixion truth hangs on the cross, and in his death truth dies. In the Passion Narrative as told by the Gospels, my attention is drawn particularly to the trial scene before Pontius Pilate. Jesus is brought to Pilate already prejudged and condemned by the prosecutors, the Sanhendrin. Now before Pilate he stands.

3. The trial is a power play between truth on the one hand, and the potentates of the world, the holders of power, the rich and mighty on the other. The Gospels tell of Pilate’s hesitation to yield to the will of the Chief Priests and elders. The Gospel of Luke (23:6-12) tells how Pilate tries unsuccessfully to avoid confronting the truth by sending Jesus to Herod, in effect passing the buck. But Herod sends Jesus back to him. Now as Pilate interrogates him, Jesus scarcely utters any words. But the few words he speaks are loaded with meaning. In the Gospel of John, we find the famous scene where Jesus says to Pilate, “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Baffled by this answer Pilate utters: “What is truth?” Ironically, Pilate does not realize at this point that here standing before him is Truth in person, and that henceforth he is engaged in a battle with truth. But he cannot escape the truth. Three times he speaks the inescapable truth: “I find no guilt in him” (Jn 18:38, 19:4, 19:6).

4. But truth will not win the day, for this is not about truth, it is not about innocence and it is not about justice. It is about power and its exercise. Before Pilate Jesus should obtain justice. Pilate, the official representative of the Roman Empire, the greatest political power in the world, actually has the power to recognize Jesus’ innocence and to free him. But the Roman governor prefers to follow the logic of his personal interests and bows to political and social pressures. He condemns an innocent person to please the crowd, without satisfying the truth. He delivers Jesus to the torture of the cross, even though he knows he is innocent. The Gospel of Matthew (Mt 27:24) narrates how Pilate in a dramatic way literally washes his hands of Jesus’ blood and declares, “I am innocent of the blood of this man”. Sorry Mr Governor, it does not work that way. You cannot be innocent of the consequences of the failure to speak the truth, of the failure to stand up for justice, of acquiescing to the will of the ruling class or public opinion. Till the end of the world, it will always be told that this ignominy happened under Pontius Pilate.

5. It is easy for us to hear the Passion narrative and condemn Pontius Pilate, the Chief Priests, the Elders and the Pharisees for their role in the death of Jesus. But when we look at the story from the perspective of Truth and Justice being at the centre of it all, we realize how the whole story could be about us. How often we battle with the truth and fail to stand up for what is right! How frequently we prefer to please those in authority to the detriment of the poor and powerless! How often we pervert justice and allow ourselves to be bought over by the rich and powerful! How often the pursuit of personal interests blinds our eyes to the consequences of our ignoring the truth! How often we allow ourselves to be swayed by so-called public opinion. How often we hold back the glaring truth and pass the buck to another authority in order to avoid being the one to speak that inevitable truth! How often we pretend to believe that it does not belong to us to speak the hard truth and that the truth is better sorted out in another court, when we still know that we have the power to say the truth!

6. Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” We now live in a world where truth is massacred every day. We no longer recognize the reality of objective truth. Truth has become relative. Each person’s opinion is regarded as having its own truth value, irrespective of objective truth. In April 2005, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, shortly before he entered the conclave in which he was elected Pope Benedict XVI, preaching the homily at the pre-conclave Mass, spoke of what he called “a dictatorship of relativism” and warned against this tendency to relativise truth: “A dictatorship of relativism is being constituted that recognizes nothing as absolute and which only leaves the 'I' and its whims as the ultimate measure.” How right and far-seeing he was! Today, we peddle ideologies, propaganda and outright lies as truth.

7. So, to the question “what is truth?” many today will prefer to pretend that there is no certainty about what constitutes truth. But let me tell you what truth is not. Truth is not keeping quiet when you should speak up against evil. Truth is not closing your eyes while injustice is being done. Truth is not denying a powerless defenseless person their merits while rewarding the indolence of the powerful. Truth is when your decisions are not guided by self-interests. Truth is not inspired by bigotry. Truth is not the betrayal of trust, whether of an individual or the public, in you. Truth is not filling your pockets with public funds or other ill-gotten wealth. Truth does not depend on tribe, race or religion. Truth is not infidelity to your marriage, to relationships or to your vocation. Truth is not abuse of power or office. Truth is not prejudice and bias. Truth is not ideology, not propaganda, not fake news. Truth remains true, even when it hurts.

8. On Good Friday, truth is put on trial, condemned, killed and left hanging on the cross. On Good Friday truth did not win. And every time we battle with truth and justice, we reenact this killing of truth. But if the story of Jesus ended with Good Friday, then we would all be lost, our quest for meaning in life would be lost and there would be no objective truth anymore. However, for those of us who are still interested in truth and justice, our consolation lies in the fact that Jesus rose on Easter Sunday. So, the truth that Pilate and co. tried to suppress on Good Friday lives on in glory.
And so, do not be afraid of those who specialize in untruth and injustice, for truth cannot be kept down for ever.

Fr Emeka Okite
7th April 2023, Good Friday

28/01/2023

THE QUEST FOR TRUE HAPPINESS

Sunday Reflections
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)
29th January, 2023

By Fr. Emeka Okite

1. Everyone strives to be happy. But what is it that makes a person happy? In what does happiness consist? In today’s society, materialistic and consumeristic as it is, happiness is defined in terms of anything that increases the chances of material acquisitions – wealth, good job, power, position, etc. One word articulates them all – prosperity. Those who have a religious outlook will talk of them as blessings. But does prosperity truly mean happiness and blessing?

2. In the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12), Jesus turns this understanding of happiness on its head, and provides us with a totally new approach to what constitutes true happiness, nay blessing. Let us now examine the Beatitudes within context.

3. The Beatitudes are the introduction of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7). The mention of a mountain at the very beginning of this teaching evokes another teaching connected with a mountain, viz Moses’s proclamation of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Jesus is thus presented as the new Moses proclaiming new commandments. Nevertheless, these new commandments do not abrogate or supersede the old, but rather fulfil them. In his new commandments, Jesus does not impose anything. He simply reveals the way that leads to true happiness, the way that guarantees blessing.

4. Each of the beatitudes proclaims blessings on certain categories of people: the poor in spirit, the meek, the grief-stricken, those who hunger and thirst for justice, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peace makers, those afflicted and persecuted for what is right. These descriptions refer to their present situations, but they are not the reason for calling them happy. Their present conditions do not constitute their blessings. The blessings are, in each case, introduced by the word “for” or “because”, followed by a description of what awaits them in the future: possess the kingdom of heaven, inherit the earth, be comforted, be satisfied, etc. It is God himself who guarantees them this happiness, this blessing. The message of the Beatitudes is precisely this: that true happiness lies in trusting God to ultimately take care of those who hope in him.

5. The word which Jesus uses in the beatitudes to indicate “happiness” is “makarios” which is a Greek rendition of the Hebrew word “ashur”. The meaning of this word cannot be fully captured by “happy”. It has the connotation of joy that springs from experiencing God’s blessings. The term is an expression of the inner joy and peace which comes from being at right with God. It contains the element of happiness that goes beyond what the world around us has to offer, but rather comes from being favoured by God and from living in the certainty that beyond the ups and downs of this world there is a God who cares.

6. Indeed, the God proclaimed in these beatitudes is “the Lord who keeps faith forever, vindicates the oppressed and gives food to the hungry” (Ps 146:6c-7). He is the God who preserves for himself a remnant, a community of people who remain faithful to the Lord, seeking justice and humility, yet not battered down in the midst of the travails and trials of invasion, conquest, deportation and exile (1stR Zeph 2:3; 3:12-13). His ways are so different from our own that we cannot fathom his mind. His choice is not based on merit but purely on grace. Thus, he chooses those whom the world considers foolish to shame the wise, and those the world considers weak to shame the strong, and likewise those who are lowly and despised by the world in order to shame those who are held in high regard (2ndR 1Cor 1:26-31).

7. It is this same unfathomable wisdom of God that is at work in the beatitudes. They express ideals which are not congruent with the world’s mode of thinking. In the midst of the tensions and conflicts, divisions and hostilities that ravage our world, the spirit of the beatitudes can help us navigate and stay afloat in our quest for ultimate happiness.

8. We shall look at three of these beatitudes which speak of three essential qualities in dealing with a hostile world. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the land” (Mt 5:5). But what is meekness? The word meekness brings to our mind immediately the idea of non-violence, of gentleness. To some, to be meek or gentle might sounds too much like submissiveness and overindulging. That would then be people who avoid any conflict from the outset, perhaps in order to have peace and quiet and not be disturbed. But that is not what it means. Meekness is a humble attitude that expresses itself in the patient endurance of offenses. It is having the power or right to do something but refraining from it for the sake of higher values.

9. Meekness must be understood in terms of the life and example of Jesus, who being “meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29) invites us to learn from him. Jesus demonstrated his meekness most especially in his passion and death. He went through his trial, suffering and death with patient endurance even though he had the power to set himself free or to exterminate his persecutors.

10. Meekness then means inner calm and stability in the midst of trials and difficulties of all kinds. We remain balanced and do not act with hostility towards our fellow human beings. We are able to put up with annoying and obnoxious people. Of course, even the meek person can point out and insist on his rights when threatened or harassed. Not excluded is also the question of resisting an attacker - if necessary, with enough violence to repel him. Nevertheless, a meek person will never see the use of force as a solution, but will rather prefer to use patient approach and understanding - that is, dialogue - to prepare for peace with true justice. Here is the meaning of “the meek shall inherit the land”: people who are meek enough to seek the way of dialogue remain long after the violent have mutually destroyed themselves. In this way, the meek will ultimately achieve the good goals in life and finally be allowed to enter the land of heavenly peace.

11. This beatitude easily connects with the next one: “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice; for they shall be satisfied” (Mt 5:6). This beatitude calls for people who will dedicate themselves towards ensuring justice and equity for all. In a world where injustice is the order and the truth is easily bought by the highest bidder, this quality is an endangered one. But one must not remain silent in the face of injustice, otherwise one becomes complicit and makes oneself an accomplice to injustice. Sometimes moral courage is needed to resist evil and protect the common good as well as the rights of the weak and poor. Do we have this courage or do we just shy away from the truth? The reward for this quality is “they shall be satisfied”. But in what way? Their satisfaction lies in their very quest itself for justice and in seeing the justice, for which they have laboured, take root and blossom.

12. The third beatitude which must be considered in line with the quest for justice is: “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called children of God” (Mt 5:9). True peacemakers are needed in every society if that society is to maintain stability. It is easy to see the connection between these three beatitudes. True peace is only possible through dialogue conducted in the spirit of meekness and a determined quest for justice. The persistence of conflicts and hostilities among the constituent groups and tribes of a nation and between nations is testimony to lack of truly determined peacemakers in our world. And this impedes the achievement of happiness for peoples and nations.

13. For us Nigerians, as we go to the polls next month, we are reminded once more that our future happiness and welfare depend a lot on the outcome of the elections. May the principles enshrined in the Beatitudes be a guideline for us. May we with a spirit of meekness eschew all violence and may our casting of votes be inspired by a hunger and thirst for justice and a quest for peace.

Happy Sunday and a blessed week.

Fr. Emeka Okite
29th January 2023, 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

21/01/2023

*ESCHEWIING DIVISIONS AND DISUNITY*

Sunday Reflections
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)
22nd January, 2023

By Fr. Emeka Okite

1. Since 2020, by decree of the Holy Father Pope Francis, the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time has been celebrated as “Sunday of the Word of God.” It is true that every eucharistic gathering has the celebration of the word of God at its centre, yet this annual liturgical observance seeks to place greater emphasis on the importance of the word of God in the life of the Church and of individual Christians. Let us therefore allow the Word of God in today’s readings to speak to us and renew us from within, to enable us confront some social ills debilitating our communal existence.

2. One such major issue is the question of disunity and division. When we look around us everywhere, things seem to fall apart. We see signs of disunity, discord, enmity, rivalry and ill-will. Whether it is about personal relationships, social interactions, national conflicts or global relations, the world seems to be plagued by disunity. Even the Church has not been spared. What are the effects of the disunity on spiritual growth? On human development? On the polity? How can we overcome disunity?

3. Our guiding torchlight in our hermeneutical quest will be the 2ndR from 1 Cor 1:10-13,17. The early Christian community in Corinth represents a lot of what can be said about us today. This community was a vibrant one, rich in all kinds of human and material resources as well as “not lacking in any spiritual gift” (1 Cor 1:5,7). But soon thereafter we realise that there are cracks in the wall. This well-endowed community is being torn apart by disunity and rivalry. Their divisions stemmed from a party-spirits inspired by personality cult: they were rallying themselves into factions with the slogans “I am for Paul”, “I am for Apollos”, “I am for Cephas”.

4. Yet unity had been from the beginning the hallmark of the Christian mandate received from Jesus. It was so important that Jesus at the Last Supper had prayed his Father that those who believe in him “may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (Jn 17:23). For Jesus unity is the identity card of Christians, the badge which they are to wear at all times. But that this ideal was always under threat could be gleaned from St Paul’s obsession with unity in almost all his letters. He reminds Christians that “you are all one in Christ” (Gal 3:28) and that “Christ is all in all” (Col 3:11). He urges them to “make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3) and to “have the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Phil 2:2). He insists that “there is one body, one spirit, just as you are called to one hope…, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all…” (Eph 4:4-6). Paul’s overly concern for Christian unity is further stressed when he lists several forms of disunity and its manifestations among what he calls the “works of the flesh” in Gal 5:19-20: “… enmities, strife, jealousy… quarrels, dissensions, factions…” and declares that people involved in this “will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

5. One can therefore imagine the pain Paul felt when he got the report that the community which he had put in so much to keep together was disintegrating into factions built around the adulation of persons. His grief finds expression in the rhetorical retort: “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?” (1Cor 1:13). Paul is well aware of the harms divisions and strife can do to the growth of a community. When people are plagued by the spirit of division, nothing else matters but group belongingness. No one asks for qualifications. There is no more question of the rightness or wrongness of anything, any action, any argument. What matters is whether a person belongs to my team or not? Is he a member of my tribe or clan? Which party does he belong to? Everything is allowed as long as someone is a member of my group otherwise sorry for him.

6. With this type of attitude, no progress is ever made, there is no growth and no development. Life becomes so stagnant that the community may be aptly described as a “people walking in the dark” and “dwelling in the land of gloom” (1stR, Is 8:23-9:3 and Gospel, Mt 4:12-23). In the Isaian context, the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali were less developed, having suffered a lot from military invasions and conquests and was properly called land of darkness. Isaiah prophesied that a great light will shine on this people who dwell in darkness, implying a future time of structural rebuilding. The Gospel of Matthew sees the inauguration of Jesus’ ministry in Capernaum, a fishing town by the sea of Galilee in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali as a fulfilment of this prophetic oracle. Jesus has come to shine his light on those who dwell in darkness. It is by embracing Jesus’ call for conversion that one may experience this light.

7. St Paul, aware of how disunity can throw a people into darkness, admonishes his addressees “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” to avoid divisions but “be united in the same mind and the same purpose” (1Cor 1:10). They are to embrace the original message of unity enjoined by the Lord in order to have the light of the Lord in their individual lives and experience growth and development in their communities. When Paul speaks of unity of mind and purpose, he does not mean that there cannot be varieties or differences of opinion or that groups have to dissolve into one monochromic entity. But that when it comes to the things matter, group loyalties should never be allowed to obscure the essentials.

8. In our communities today we still experience divisions and rivalries and these are constantly impeding growth and development. This is as true for the Church as it is for the State. When I think of the story in the 2ndR, I think of Africa. Like the early Christian community in Corinth, the continent of Africa is blessed with all varieties of gifts, material, human and intellectual resources. Yet we have seen divisions, tribal loyalty and party spirit wreak havoc on the nations of Africa, leading to their continuous underdevelopment, and making us a people literally “dwelling in darkness”. The way out this mess is still the solution provided by St Paul: when it comes to issues of national interests, all should be “united in the same mind and the same purpose”, irrespective of party or tribal loyalties.

9. In Nigeria, we have had more than our fair share of the consequences of division. We have literally experienced what it means to dwell in darkness. But the general elections coming up next month gives us another opportunity to try a new leadership and see if we can be led out of the darkness. I can almost hear the prophet apply his oracle to Nigeria: “Land of Niger, land of Benue, from the Niger Delta in the Gulf of Guinea to Lake Chad, the people that dwell in darkness shall see a great light.” Can we be of one mind and purpose and agree that what we need is a leadership that will move us forward? Can we eschew party spirit and tribal loyalty and choose what will be best for our country? Our true progress and development will only begin when we overcome disunity and tribalism.

Happy Sunday and a blessed week.

Fr. Emeka Okite
22nd January 2023, 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

28/08/2021

𝗘𝗫𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗩𝗦 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧

𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
𝟮𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 (𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗔)
𝟮𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭

𝗕𝘆 𝗙𝗿. 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗸𝗮 𝗢𝗸𝗶𝘁𝗲

1. In the past one and half years the world has been battling with the Covid-19 pandemic. Within this time, we have come to learn many things about the human body and the way it works, the pathogens we carry, and how much of a danger we can be to ourselves and to public health and welfare. We have come to know how our habits and actions can affect not only us, but the public as well. We are biologically equipped to spread great harm among our neighbours, but great also is our capacity to promote one another’s healing or health. Among the habits we have been encouraged to cultivate to help elevate personal hygiene is the practice of regular washing of hands.

2. In the Gospel of this Sunday (Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23), the question of washing hands comes at the centre of a controversy between Jesus and an opposing group of Pharisees and scribes. Unlike our present concerns, the issue of washing hands, as it appears in this episode, is not a matter of hygiene. It was a matter of ritual purity as dictated by Jewish tradition. Laws regulating ritual purity – the so-called Kosher laws - form an integral part of Jewish life and religion. Some of these laws are found in the Hebrew Bible (the OT), particularly in the Book of Leviticus. Others arose as a matter of tradition, especially during the exilic and post-exilic period.

3. These laws constitute to a whole system according to which a person may be considered qualified (pure) or unqualified (impure) to come in contact with sacred space and objects and to participate in religious activities. Ritual impurity arises from coming in contact with physical objects and states that are considered impure, or by being in a situation that is defined as such by the law. The problem with ritual impurity is that it is contagious, i.e. it can be transferred from a person or object to another through physical contact or simply by being in the same enclosed space. A single impure person or object can thus render the entire community impure. Ritual impurity can, however, be overcome or removed with the passage of time and/or through ritual washing or the performance of other specified rituals. The tradition regarding the washing of hands was intended as an overabundant precaution to forestall the possibility of having inadvertently come into contact with a potential defiler (person or object).

4. This is the background against which we can understand the controversy in the Gospel. While the Pharisees and scribes are overly concerned with enforcing these ritual laws, Jesus wants to draw attention to the power of a different kind of impurity—moral impurity. He knows that even in the Torah there is a distinction between ritual impurity and moral defilement. Ritual impurity is not the same thing as sinning. Ritual impurity is so external that specific procedures, water, and time easily take care of it. But moral impurity defiles the person from inside out and sticks around. It manifests itself as sin. But what is more, sin can hurt not only the individual, but the society as well. It has social consequences. It poses a danger to others. Just as no one exists alone, no one’s actions are totally free from public consequences. More than seek ritual purity, Jesus wants us to acquire a clean heart and a pure spirit.

5. Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for holding onto the external practice of religious tradition, while neglecting the important issues of the law, which consists in doing good to others and avoiding causing harm. The law and commandments of God which Moses extols in the 1st Reading (Dt 4:1-2, 6-8) are a gift of God to aid his people in maintaining common welfare and harmony, without harming each other, or breaching communal existence. Indeed, God is more concerned about how we treat each other than all our religious practices. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 15) makes it clear that admittance into the presence of God does not depend on ritual purity, but on the wholesome and kind treatment of fellow human beings. What the Psalm is saying precisely is that you cannot be in good relationship with God unless you are in good relationship with fellow humans. This is what proper religion consists in. Religious practices that are devoid of justice and kindness amount to the what Jesus criticizes in the Gospel: *“This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”*

6. Of course, the author of the Letter of James (Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27) was aware that there are people whose practice of religion is limited only to external observances of traditions and ritual laws, people who think they have access to God even while doing harm to others. James recalls such people to the true meaning of religion and urges everyone who seeks God to *“be doers of the word and not hearers only”*. For James, *“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”*

7. As humans we have the capacity to harm each other as well as the potentials to ensure the good of all. The readings of this Sunday remind us that it is not ritual observance of religion that guarantees individual and common welfare, but rather love and justice which has its basis on the observance of the commandments.

God bless you.

*Fr. Emeka Okite*
29th August 2021, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

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