💖 HOMILY - FEBRUARY 7 💖

First Reading - Genesis 1:20-2:4 

Gospel - Mark 7:1-13

We know that the churches or prayer houses help us to pray well. We feel connected to God in such places. We also show our devotions in those places through different religious gestures or practices. However, the readings of today pose a challenge to us to examine our religious practices, if they help us become transformed persons everyday.

The first reading continues with the remaining part of the creation story and culminates at the peak of whole creation i.e. man (adam is a hebrew word that means mankind or human being in general. Therefore, the creation of Adam in his own image and likeness refers to whole of humanity). The passage also underlines that the God created man and woman both resembling the image and likeness of God. Furthermore, God puts them as the stewards of the creation. The whole passage of the creation story is a reminder for us that we need to realize our responsibility. What is our responsibility? To take care and preserve God's work. However, the passage also reminds us that we are the caretakers and not the creator, therefore, we are also accountable to the One who is the real creator. Hence, we should learn to appreciate and take care of the things of this earth. Our job must make us more humble and always aim at pleasing God through our works.

Today's gospel passage brings a secne of controversy picked up against the disciples of Jesus by the Pharisees and the scribes because they ate food without first cleansing their hands which made them ritually unclean. This controversy broke out after the Pharisees and the scribes had returned from Jerusalem, the place of prayer. It sounds strange that their prayer or their visit to the holy place had not in anyway transformed them but they were still with their prejudices and evil intent against Jesus. Jesus reprimands them for their shallow religiosity by quoting Isaiah - "This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me... ." This verse of Isaiah clearly highlights the hypocritical behaviour of people whose prayer life and actual life don't cohere or fuse.

Dear friends, it's beyond doubt that God fills the prayer houses with His presence. Our visit to the Church or any prayer house infuses in us the presence of God and gives us assurance of being heard of our prayers. However, the gospel of today challenges us - Does our visit to the church or prayer house or any practice of our religious piety transform us into a new person? The Pharisees and scribes were glued to the observance of the minute section of the man-made law or moral law inherited from their well known teachers (which they referred in the gospel as the tradition) but their hearts remained far from God or their practices didn't bring about any changes in them. Jesus invites us today to check our spiritual practices or daily religious piety that we perform - Do they cleanse us from our prejudices, irreligious behaviours, and impurities settled in our hearts? If yes, then we are rendering a true worship to God and are being transformed into a new person everyday. If not, then we need to evaluate ourselves and try to bring coherence of our religious life and actual life. Let's become true worshippers of God and avoid any form lip-services.