Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, August 29, 2021 (EPISODE:318)

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, August 29, 2021
(EPISODE:318)

Readings for Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: Deut 4: 1-2, 6-8
Ps 15: 2-3a, 3b-4a, 4b-5. "The just will live in the presence of the Lord."
SECOND READING: Jas 1: 17-18, 21b-22, 27
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (James 1: 18). Alleluia, alleluia! The Father gave us birth by his message of truth. That we might be as the first fruits of his creation.
GOSPEL: Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Shutterstock Licensed Image Credit:   stock vector ID:  721701574 -SAN GIMIGNANO, ITALY - JULY 11, 2017: Judas receives thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus. Fresco in the Collegiata of San Gimignano, Italy. By jorisvo
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, August 29, 2021 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ordinary-22b-episode-318  
(EPISODE: 318)
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* (Prologue:  Fr Paul Kelly)
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
This weekend's readings take a very practical angle on the meaning of discipleship. We are called to take special care to be just, honest, and charitable toward everyone. What a different tone the world would take if everyone took that angle.
 
As Christians, the proper application of our religious beliefs leads to very important practical consequences for our lives and actions. The readings this weekend send a powerful message: What is the point of calling ourselves "Disciples of Christ and servants of God" (in other words: "Christians"), unless our practical actions REFLECT justice, SHOW charity, really put forgiveness into action and SHOW loving/practical acts of kindness (that God asks us to show to one-another).
 
'True and untarnished religion is this: acting justly, helping the poor, the widow and the orphan.' - In fact, helping all those who are most in need. Jesus warns his critics that if their religion goes no further than blind observation of symbolic rituals whilst at the same time not living the message of practical love, kindness, and fairness, it will do no good whatsoever. The sacraments SHOW, AND POINT TO AND STRENGTHEN God's compassion and love abiding within us – This is the nature and purpose of Christ's sacraments - They convey to us, in a real, touchable way, Christ, who is love, mercy, justice and compassion.
 
"The value of a person's good works is not based on their number and excellence," says Saint John of the Cross, "but on the love of God within them, which prompts the person to do these things in the first place." [Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591)]
 
 "Love, justice, and charity are the more key indicators of authentic discipleship than mere outward observances of one's rituals. Ideally, the two go together and reinforce and nurture each other."
 
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It is clear from the Gospel that by the time of Jesus, people had indeed started adding to God's law and loading people down with unnecessary burdens and difficult observances that, for most people, were impractical and actually impossible to achieve. So, living in God's favour became something exclusive, and reserved only for a lucky minority. The large majority of people were too busy just keeping alive, and dealing with the messy demands of everyday life to be able to keep every single rule or ritual that they were being burdened with. And if they were unable to keep these rules, they were not considered righteous or good. "Holiness" and "peace" became rare commodities, which were now well beyond the reach of most people. That was never God's plan!
 
Keeping the commandments of the Lord is meant to "demonstrate wisdom and understanding." ((Deuteronomy 4:1-2. 6-8). This starts to make things clearer: The whole point of God's law was that it was given to people for their welfare and growth; so that people could deeply live and reflect the values and priorities of God  in their actions and attitudes.
 
I particularly like scripture passages that expressly NAME the virtues and qualities of the Christian life. As you name them, you can feel a deep stirring desire to deepen those virtues within your heart. It is as if those values and virtues start to take a deeper hold in our souls as we reflect upon them.
 
The Psalm this weekend goes on to explain in detail:
The just will live in the presence of the Lord BY MEANS OF …….
- Walking in the ways of blamelessness,
- Acting with justice,
- Speaking honestly,
- Avoiding wrongdoing,
- Not gossiping or slandering others,
- Honouring the Lord,
- Keeping our promises,
- Not "ripping-off" people,
- Not allowing oneself to be "bought off" from their principles; not "selling out."
 
The Second Reading (James 1:17-18. 21-22. 27) confirms this practical advice: and that we should always aim to "do what the word tells us, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves." It is a reminder that we can easily deceive ourselves about our true motives and intentions. But we should be on guard against such self-justifications that can arise in our hearts covertly.  Not merely us saying "I am doing this for the good of others and I have no self-serving motives in my actions." But rather, The true test of "pure, unspoiled religion," is "coming to the help of people who are in need, and distancing oneself from the values in the world that are not consistent with the gospel."
 
Finally, in the gospel, Jesus warns us about people who "honour God with only lip-service, and all the while their hearts are actually far from God." Our Lord asks us to look inside ourselves and see the things that distort our faithfulness. These are the inner movements of the heart and they can be, (and need to be), crowded out by the positive values, graces and virtues of God: Namely, faithfulness, purity, reverence, respect, detachment from material things, love, honesty, appreciation, affirmation, self-sacrifice, and so on. The virtues of the gospel build us up and crowd out anything that is not consistent with the gospel. (There is no room for the negative qualities because God has filled us with good values).
 
Christianity is not primarily a set of doctrines and Laws…. Christianity is a Person (Jesus), and a relationship with that person – Christ, who is THE revelation of God and the perfection of the Law.
 
Christianity is a relationship, not a concept or a philosophy or merely a set of rules…. And whenever it is turned into mere concepts or only a set of rules or philosophies, it can get disconnected from the person and values of Jesus. Naturally, there are indeed Rules and Doctrines and Dogmas in Christianity. There certainly are. But all of them serve to point us to Christ who is THE ONE Rule, The ONE Word.
 
Jesus was struggling valiantly against legalism. The lawmakers and law keepers seemed to be more interested in what people could not do, rather than focusing on what they could be doing in response to life's real problems. It would be equivalent to a person saying: " I have kept all ten commandments. Wherever it said.. "thou shalt not"… I "did not!!"… That is all very well, God might reply, but "you actually did not Do anything else either!!!! " - Surely our Christian faith is also about positive acts as well as refraining from negative ones.
 
The lawmakers in Jesus time focused too much on appearances….. and outward actions, whilst ignoring the inner realities of their terrible attitudes and hypocrisy….. They were Focusing more on what one should refrain from doing rather than encouraging inner growth and nurturing constructive attitudes and loving responses towards others…….There is a certain safety in refraining from doing things, and avoiding things………
 
Jesus corrected that error….
Jesus is shown positively living his message, by his actions -  Christianity is a verb not a NOUN!  As we see by Our Lord going through life….. … loving, sharing, forgiving, healing, including, forgiving, uplifting, unburdening, feeding, encouraging, and … risking everything. Giving absolutely everything in his desire to address every genuine human need.
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References:

Homily –Fr Paul W. Kelly

Shutterstock Licensed Image Credit:   stock vector ID:  721701574 -SAN GIMIGNANO, ITALY - JULY 11, 2017: Judas receives thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus. Fresco in the Collegiata of San Gimignano, Italy. By jorisvo


Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B   (Sunday, August 29, 2021)  (EPISODE: 318 )
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{Welcome everyone}} welcome everyone, we gather -  Listen to God's Word and contemplate the sacraments. 

As we begin the Holy Eucharist, let us acknowledge our sinfulness, so as to worthily celebrate the sacred mysteries.

Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of God's kingdom: Lord, have mercy// You come in word and in sacrament to strengthen us and make us holy: Christ, have mercy//You will come again in glory with salvation for your people: Lord, have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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Ps 15: 2-3a, 3b-4a, 4b-5. "The just will live in the presence of the Lord."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (James 1: 18). Alleluia, alleluia! The Father gave us birth by his message of truth. That we might be as the first fruits of his creation.
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PREFACE: Sundays iv
EP III
(theme variation: 3 )

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{My heartfelt thanks to you, for your participation in this time of reflection, prayer and praise. }

Go in peace.(glorifying the Lord by your life)

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John (Bill) Kelly (1942-2017) -  Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[ Production -  KER -  2021]

May God bless and keep you.
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