Our Lady of Lourdes
Readings:
Genesis 1: 20-2:4
Mark 7: 1-13
Reflection:
In our Gospel today, the momentum is gathering as it becomes clear that Jesus is coming into conflict with the Pharisees and some scribes. It is as if they are sitting on the sidelines, observing and creating a negative commentary! Jesus uses the teaching of the Prophet Isaiah to challenge their understanding of the law. For them external conformity mattered more than the essence of the law.
This story has been played out time and again in Christian communities through the generations. We are probably all good in the commentary box at times!! There is no shortage of those commentators who know better and those who judge by externals. They can, by their attitudes, make other people feel very unwelcome and vulnerable. Jesus, on the other hand, was focused on love and compassion and worked to empower people so that they could gain freedom and live without fear.
Perhaps we can all reflect today on how our practices help us to empower and welcome others to freedom. Or do some of our practices mean we come with an attitude of self-righteousness and judgemental?
Today, being the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, is a good day to pray that we will be healed of any hypocrisy in our way of living and being. Let’s pray to be authentic in our lives, live from the heart and put our energy into ‘nourishing the fragile seeds of possibility’* in ourselves and others.
Sr. Brigid Murphy CP, Sisters of the Cross & Passion, Melbourne