Here's me homily to be preached at all Masses in my parish this Sunday.
Homily 22nd Sunday Year B
Readings Deut 4: 1-2, 6-8. Ps 14:2-5 .James 1: 17-18, 21-22, 31.
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15,21-22.
A few weeks ago I put my company car in for its annual service. I chose a particular garage near to my office because they had a short video clip on their website that said how committed they were to customer service, and that everything they did was to ‘delight the customer.’
They also stated that all cars would be returned to the customer in tip top condition looking great. That’s precisely what I wanted. A quality service job with my company car returned in tip top condition looking great!
Homily 22nd Sunday Year B
Readings Deut 4: 1-2, 6-8. Ps 14:2-5 .James 1: 17-18, 21-22, 31.
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15,21-22.
A few weeks ago I put my company car in for its annual service. I chose a particular garage near to my office because they had a short video clip on their website that said how committed they were to customer service, and that everything they did was to ‘delight the customer.’
They also stated that all cars would be returned to the customer in tip top condition looking great. That’s precisely what I wanted. A quality service job with my company car returned in tip top condition looking great!
However, what I got back after the service could not be described as tip top condition looking great. The car was returned dirtier than when I sent it to the garage!
So. I contacted the Managing Director of the company and gave him my ‘feedback’, or in more traditional language, I made a complaint. He listened carefully and graciously and accepted that on this occasion his company had indeed not returned my car in tip top condition looking great. He admitted that they had been hypocritical and paid lip-service to their own customer service charter – because they had said one thing and done something else. Consequently, they had failed to delight their customer!
So. I contacted the Managing Director of the company and gave him my ‘feedback’, or in more traditional language, I made a complaint. He listened carefully and graciously and accepted that on this occasion his company had indeed not returned my car in tip top condition looking great. He admitted that they had been hypocritical and paid lip-service to their own customer service charter – because they had said one thing and done something else. Consequently, they had failed to delight their customer!
In today’s Gospel Jesus pulls no punches by laying a straight glove on the collective chin of the Pharisees. They ask him what they think is a straightforward question about the non-observance of Jewish ritual hygiene practices by his disciples, and how does Jesus respond? “Hypocrites!” I wish I had been there to see the response on the faces of those Pharisees!
I don’t think any of us would appreciate being called a hypocrite. As a response it seems a little below the belt – right between the eyes, if you don’t mind me carrying on with my boxing metaphors. To be called a hypocrite hurts. But in this instance it was the truth that hurt. Many religious leaders at the time of Jesus had reduced the Covenants that God had made over the successive generations, to mere observance of rule and regulation, most of it man-made rule and regulation. Consequently the one who was best at keeping all the rules and regulations was considered to be doing what God wanted.
In contrast Jesus takes that rule and regulation approach and turns it upside down, putting it the right way up, by teaching his disciples that true religion is not about the observance of rule and regulation, but about purity and cleanliness in the heart.
What do I mean by the heart? I mean that sacred space deep in each of us, where we are alone with our consciences, ourselves and God.
It’s in that sanctuary where we need to open ourselves to the action of the Holy Spirit for the Spirit to do that deep cleansing work, to rid us of all those evil things that come from within, as our Lord has outlined, borne of unforgiveness, grudges, jealousy, envy and the love of possessions, money and status. All the things that can easily lead us as followers of Christ, to be accused of hypocrisy by those who do not follow Christ, or hate religion. The work requires prayer and recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, more traditionally known as Confession.
Professing belief in God and following Jesus, coming to Mass every Sunday, but paying lip service to the consequences in our daily life equals hypocrisy. It’s being two-faced. What a painfully piercing moment it is for someone to meet God in the sanctuary of their heart, only to hear him say, ‘hypocrite.’ For Jesus reveals to us, the truth about ourselves.
What does ‘good look like’ when it comes to following Jesus and avoiding religious hypocrisy? Well, thank God for James. Today’s second reading from James gives us the perfect antidote for the poison of hypocrisy in the Christian life.
In summary James tells us to, “do away with bad habits, accept and submit to the Word of God, do what the word tells us and not just listen to it and deceive ourselves and that pure religion, is coming to the help of orphans and widows and keeping ourselves uncontaminated by the world” Brilliant! Thank you James! There’s the guidance we need to avoid religious hypocrisy as Christians! We have to work on ourselves and our hearts and put the Word of God into practice. Christianity, is not a lifestyle option that is meant to be lived at our convenience. Who are the ‘orphans and widows’ we encounter today and that we are meant to come to the help of? Well we can take them figuratively and not literally in this case.
In our homes, schools, colleges, workplaces and neighbourhoods there are always people in need. I take it as a given that they all know we are Catholics? The coming week is a good week to suprise them with random and unconditional acts of love and service. As Christians we put ourselves out for others, looking for opportunities to serve – just as Jesus did.
It’s in that sanctuary where we need to open ourselves to the action of the Holy Spirit for the Spirit to do that deep cleansing work, to rid us of all those evil things that come from within, as our Lord has outlined, borne of unforgiveness, grudges, jealousy, envy and the love of possessions, money and status. All the things that can easily lead us as followers of Christ, to be accused of hypocrisy by those who do not follow Christ, or hate religion. The work requires prayer and recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, more traditionally known as Confession.
Professing belief in God and following Jesus, coming to Mass every Sunday, but paying lip service to the consequences in our daily life equals hypocrisy. It’s being two-faced. What a painfully piercing moment it is for someone to meet God in the sanctuary of their heart, only to hear him say, ‘hypocrite.’ For Jesus reveals to us, the truth about ourselves.
What does ‘good look like’ when it comes to following Jesus and avoiding religious hypocrisy? Well, thank God for James. Today’s second reading from James gives us the perfect antidote for the poison of hypocrisy in the Christian life.
In summary James tells us to, “do away with bad habits, accept and submit to the Word of God, do what the word tells us and not just listen to it and deceive ourselves and that pure religion, is coming to the help of orphans and widows and keeping ourselves uncontaminated by the world” Brilliant! Thank you James! There’s the guidance we need to avoid religious hypocrisy as Christians! We have to work on ourselves and our hearts and put the Word of God into practice. Christianity, is not a lifestyle option that is meant to be lived at our convenience. Who are the ‘orphans and widows’ we encounter today and that we are meant to come to the help of? Well we can take them figuratively and not literally in this case.
In our homes, schools, colleges, workplaces and neighbourhoods there are always people in need. I take it as a given that they all know we are Catholics? The coming week is a good week to suprise them with random and unconditional acts of love and service. As Christians we put ourselves out for others, looking for opportunities to serve – just as Jesus did.
They’ll know we are Christians, and not hypocrites, by our love. A love that comes from a pure heart, a heart open to and worked on by the Holy Spirit, free of hypocrisy, a heart in tip top condition, looking great in the eyes of God.
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