Striving to become true worshipper of God

Deut. 4:1-8, Jam. 1:17-18.22-27, Mk 7:1-8:21-23. On this Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, the Church invites us to strive to become true worshippers of God the Father. Thus, the entire readings of today’s Liturgy focus more on the features and characteristics of true religion. It is not just a scrupulous, external observance of rules, laws, traditions and rituals. It is a loving, docile and relationship with God expressed in obeying His Commandments, worshipping Him, recognising His presence in other human beings and rendering them loving and humble service. Prayers, rituals, Sacraments and religious practices only help us to practice this true religion in our daily lives.

Today's first reading explains that religion is a Covenant relationship with a caring, providing and protecting God, fostered by keeping His Commandments given through Moses. God gave Israel the Law so that the Israelites might keep their Covenant with Yahweh and thank Him for His love and fidelity to His chosen people. The second reading defines true religion as keeping the word of God and doing His will by helping the needy, the poor and the weak in the community. He challenges Christians to become doers of the word, not merely hearers. However, today's Gospel, Jesus corrects that ideology of seeing impressionism and hypocrisy as hallmarks of true religion. Jesus confronts the Pharisees because of their hypocrisy. They never observed the law that they multiplied for their people. The essence of every law is to foster love of God and man. Love itself is the spirit behind every law. Every law that does not promote love is ungodly. In the Good Samaritan story, the priest who featured, obeyed the Sabbath obligation, that is the letters written in the law, while sidelining the essence of the Sabbath law, which is love. For example, our Sunday obligation is intended to allow us to worship God in the parish community, to offer our lives to God, to ask for His pardon for sins, to thank God for His blessings and to receive Divine Life and strength from Him in Holy Communion. Our daily family prayers are meant to thank God for His blessings, to present the family’s needs before God, to ask for pardon for sins, to maintain the spirit of unity and love in the family and to keep a close relationship with God.

May the Lord grant us a sincere and upright heart that yearns for Him above all else, a heart that worships God without deceit! Amen!! Good morning and happy Sunday!!!