Homily for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Many of us are creatures of habit to some extent. We have consistently followed habits and traditions that can be beneficial but may also hold us back. When this happens, it can take time and effort to change. Similarly, communal traditions, which are traditional ways of doing things as a society or within a Church, can be beneficial but can also become restrictive.

In the Gospel, Jesus clashed with the Pharisees, who held the tradition of the elders in high regard. This tradition was passed down orally for hundreds of years and involved applying the Jewish Law to every detail of daily life. While not written in the Scriptures, these traditions had gained authority equal to that of the Scriptures.

During His ministry, Jesus challenged the emphasis that the Pharisees and other religious leaders placed on their human-made spiritual traditions. Jesus suggested that the religious leaders had undermined God's commandment in their zeal to uphold these traditions. Jesus emphasized that ritualistic traditions did not hold importance to God and taught that what truly matters is the condition of our hearts and intentions.

Gardeners know that pruning bushes and shrubs is essential to maintain health and quality. Similarly, Jesus acted as a pruner, cutting back traditions that had become overly important and emphasizing what truly mattered to God. Jesus did not wholly abandon Jewish tradition but instead critiqued it to reveal God's true desires. By doing so, he aimed to allow the best aspects of the tradition to thrive while removing elements that obscured God's presence.

Our religious traditions, personal and within the community of the Church, need to be constantly re-evaluated because what we think is important may not align with what is important to God. It's crucial to revisit the New Testament, especially the Gospels, to understand what Jesus emphasizes as important. St. James urges us to accept and submit to the Word planted within us through Baptism. This involves not just listening but also acting upon it. Caring for the sick, the oppressed, and all those in need and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world is the genuine expression of religion in the eyes of God.

God's primary focus is how we interact with each other, especially with the most vulnerable among us. Jesus didn't hesitate to heal the sick on the Sabbath, even though it was considered work and unlawful by the elders' tradition. Jesus' actions and teachings are the best guide to understanding the actual value of our religious tradition and what we need to reconsider.