The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, September 3, 2006
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5
James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Our readings this week are all about fulfilling the Law from the heart, and avoiding legalism in our religious observance. The Epistle of James tells us that we must be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. It’s not enough just to listen to the Scriptures, we must also live them. Show me your works, James says, and I’ll show you the truth of my faith that motivates my works. It is a living faith that saves us. Then, Jesus in the Gospel very emphatically states that we must love the Word if we are to live it effectively. Deeds without love behind them result in mere legal observance. The Book of Deuteronomy contains the “Shema,” the two great commandments of the Law, love of God and love of neighbor. Jesus was upset with the religious leaders who added many legalisms that emphasized the letter, rather than the spirit of the law. And when the Pharisees accused His disciples of omitting the legal washing of hands before eating, Jesus points out that real filth comes, not from the outside, but from the inside of a person.

This weekend and the following Monday in both the United States of America and in Canada, we honor the dignity of work and of workers. It’s a good time for us to reflect on the obligations of both employers and employees. As a worker, do I focus on doing the best job I can, and am I doing it because I care about the quality of the results? Do I treat my fellow-workers and my employers with respect? If I am an employer, do I provide adequate health care for my employees, and do I provide time off for Sunday worship and adequate family time?

Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(pwhitmore29 at yahoo dot com)