DIVINIFIED LAWS TO DIGNIFY THE DEPLORED

 

First Reading: Deut 4:1-2, 6-8
Second Reading: Jas 1:17-18, 21-22, 27

Gospel: Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Dear friends, we are in the twenty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time. In this era, the one thing which most of us find difficult to keep in our life is rules and regulations of our place; be it religious, secular or institutional. In general, we show some kind of dislike in keeping them. One even gets delighted when s/he systematically avoids keeping up the laws. Yes, the systematic violators of the law of religion, country, institution, community and so forth are lauded as great people. Today’s readings are addressed to those kinds of people. The laws are made in view of common good and to facilitate well-functioning of the establishment. The laws are born out of experience and history. As the centuries pass by, laws get better clarity and get upgraded. For instance, the democratic constitutions of various countries of today are much better than laws once humans had followed in previous centuries under different form of governance. Astonishingly, the laws which the ancient Israelites followed are much better than laws of any of today’s establishments. It is something illogical to infer. How can a population that is in slavery to massive power Egypt could formulate a law that resonate the spirit of today’s democracy? It is highly impossible for an uneducated and uncivilized group to possess a law that would ensure justice for all kinds of people. Yet, the ancient Israelites had such dignified laws. Those laws are not product of their intelligence and critical analysis. They are sheer gift from the Lord God. And so, they are not dignified laws, rather divinified laws to uplift the deplored humanity, represented by then Israelites.

In the first reading, Moses instructs the Israelites to faithfully follow the commandments of the Lord God in the land they are going to occupy across river Jordan (Deut 4:1). The Lord God is not interested in protecting them in the new land with some establishments as such monarchical system. Of course, in future the Israelites themselves would demand to have monarchy (1 Sam 8:5-7). But in the beginning the Lord God intended to show the world Israelites as the best nation in view of their morality and wisdom. Thus, He empowers their moral life with high ethical code. It is a gratuitous gift from the Lord God to Israelites. Can we imagine a nation that is once under slavery could very soon form dignified laws that resemble today’s democratic spirit that too without a system! In an era, when power, greatness and wealth were conceived in terms of political control and military valour, there is a nation which exhibits all those qualities (powers) in terms of moral living and wise thinking. There is a nation which excels in morality and human values in distinction that too without any official government structure. This causes astonishment to other nations that struggle to maintain law and order with mighty powerful structures. Yes, the Lord decided to show the world that the real power, greatness and wealth consists not in material affluence but in moral and upright living that is guided by wisdom. Israelites were the instrument for this cause. The downfall of Israelites began with the establishment of monarchy, avoiding the kingship of the Lord God (1 Sam 8:7). Slowly, the commandments of the Lord were replaced by human traditions and admonishments. This led to the depletion of dignified humanity in Israelites.

In the Gospel Jesus denounces the Jewish leaders for their faithfulness in keeping the tradition and neglecting the commandments of God. The Pharisees and Scribes question the impure acts of the disciples of Jesus which are related to material purity. But they never worried about people who violate internal purity. As leaders of the Jewish community, they ought to confront and correct people who are not keeping the commandments of the Lord. Did they do that? No, they only catch people who defile external purity such as washing of hands and dishes (Mk 7:2-5). Jesus would have been happy if they were to catch His disciples for not keeping the commandments of the Lord. They did not do that, rather they had no courage and interest in doing so. In this way the dignified humanity was not found among them. The community or nation which God intended to excel in dignity by keeping up the divinified laws was deteriorating. Today too when we replace God’s commandments at the pretext of common good, we are acting like those pharisees and scribes. We are replacing human folly for God’s wisdom. In the history, the systematic violators of the law are lauded while they are on earth. But the faithful followers of the law are deified for centuries after their demise. Thus, the real dignity of our life consists in keeping the laws. The upliftment of humanity lies in following God’s law without any excuse. Pope Benedict XVI would say, “The world offers you comfort. you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” That greatness is achieved in living a good moral life that is assisted by divine wisdom. May the divine laws help us to dignify our lives that is deplored by worldly views.


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