Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 / James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 / Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
In today’s Gospel, Jesus chides the Pharisees for holding to traditions even though their hearts are not in it. Traditions can be good, but when done by rote or on automatic pilot, they tend to lose their meaning. Many people cling to traditions because they fear change. Last spring, my nephew was in his school’s musical, Fiddler on the Roof. Tevye, the lead, tries to fight the changes happening in the outside world by clinging to the Jewish & family traditions he’s always known. It takes the marriages of his daughters & the revolution for him to embrace change.
We need to take a hard look at our lives & the way we live. In today’s society, just as in Tevye’s time, there are constant changes – many of which try to draw us further from God. Do we stick with the old traditions or do we reach out & embrace change? Some of those traditions may not be strong enough to keep us close to God, so we need to change. Mix up your prayer routine a bit. Attend Adoration & Benediction on the 1st Friday of the month. Join a Small Church Community. Create a new tradition for your spiritual journey.
What traditions to you cling to? Do they hold you back from God or draw you closer?
What changes can you make to help you draw closer to God?
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