Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings for Wednesday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17
Today we are given excerpts of the second creation account (also called the Yahwehest account because in Hebrew texts God is referred to as Yahweh God instead of God). As we go through Genesis it is clear that multiple authors are responsible for the texts and this is one way scholars distinguish them. The account today does not go through creation using a calendar but rather begins with a lifeless earth and builds up from there.
In this account we are given the beginnings of man in the Garden of Eden. We also hear the one rule man is given; “You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1-2a, 27-28, 29bc-30
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
Once again the Psalm of thanks and praise supports the Genesis reading praising God for his creation. In this song reference is also made of the creation of live from dust and the ultimate return of the body to dust.
Gospel Mk 7:14-23
Jesus takes that first command of God to man in the Garden and interprets it. He also stands Jewish Law that declares some foods to be unclean. The focus he makes is that the food that enters the body cannot destroy it but actions and words that contravene God’s Law will.
Reflection:
We are given some interesting scripture today. It is interesting because it seems to contradict it self. In the reading from Genesis we hear God command man not to eat from the tree of Knowledge of good and evil. (Let’s think for a moment, did that tree really grow? Or was God telling man to remain innocent, childlike in faith (where did we hear that before) in their understanding of God’s will?) So – in Genesis we are hearing not of a real tree and real food but rather a metaphor, God did not want man to lean from the Evil One. Unfortunately, the serpent ended up spoiling His plan anyway.
Based on the fact that the tree of Knowledge of good and evil was intended not for the physical wellbeing of mankind but rather the spiritual good, what we hear from Jesus in the Gospel of Mark today is completely consistent with God His Father’s will in Genesis. Jesus is making it plain that, while there were good practical reasons related to physical health for what are know as the Dietary Laws in the Old Testament, the health of our eternal soul is more important.
Jesus tells us that even if our body dies, and all bodies die, the soul will not die. He came to defeat death and where the soul goes when the body dies is determined by what comes out of the body not what goes into it. He has prioritized our concerns. Our first and most important concern should be our spiritual health and we can maintain that health by working toward inward purity. The Lord says that; “From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” We can avoid these if we hold fast to the moral values the God has left us.
We take note that of the things the Lord identifies as destructive to us only theft and murder are even considered illegal by our justice system. The rest are considered either acceptable behavior or ignored as personal characteristics. Even theft refers only to certain types of stealing and murder, only certain types of murder. We are called to a higher law. We will be held to a higher standard when we stand before the Lord in the Last Day.
Pax
Readings for Wednesday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17
Today we are given excerpts of the second creation account (also called the Yahwehest account because in Hebrew texts God is referred to as Yahweh God instead of God). As we go through Genesis it is clear that multiple authors are responsible for the texts and this is one way scholars distinguish them. The account today does not go through creation using a calendar but rather begins with a lifeless earth and builds up from there.
In this account we are given the beginnings of man in the Garden of Eden. We also hear the one rule man is given; “You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1-2a, 27-28, 29bc-30
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
Once again the Psalm of thanks and praise supports the Genesis reading praising God for his creation. In this song reference is also made of the creation of live from dust and the ultimate return of the body to dust.
Gospel Mk 7:14-23
Jesus takes that first command of God to man in the Garden and interprets it. He also stands Jewish Law that declares some foods to be unclean. The focus he makes is that the food that enters the body cannot destroy it but actions and words that contravene God’s Law will.
Reflection:
We are given some interesting scripture today. It is interesting because it seems to contradict it self. In the reading from Genesis we hear God command man not to eat from the tree of Knowledge of good and evil. (Let’s think for a moment, did that tree really grow? Or was God telling man to remain innocent, childlike in faith (where did we hear that before) in their understanding of God’s will?) So – in Genesis we are hearing not of a real tree and real food but rather a metaphor, God did not want man to lean from the Evil One. Unfortunately, the serpent ended up spoiling His plan anyway.
Based on the fact that the tree of Knowledge of good and evil was intended not for the physical wellbeing of mankind but rather the spiritual good, what we hear from Jesus in the Gospel of Mark today is completely consistent with God His Father’s will in Genesis. Jesus is making it plain that, while there were good practical reasons related to physical health for what are know as the Dietary Laws in the Old Testament, the health of our eternal soul is more important.
Jesus tells us that even if our body dies, and all bodies die, the soul will not die. He came to defeat death and where the soul goes when the body dies is determined by what comes out of the body not what goes into it. He has prioritized our concerns. Our first and most important concern should be our spiritual health and we can maintain that health by working toward inward purity. The Lord says that; “From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” We can avoid these if we hold fast to the moral values the God has left us.
We take note that of the things the Lord identifies as destructive to us only theft and murder are even considered illegal by our justice system. The rest are considered either acceptable behavior or ignored as personal characteristics. Even theft refers only to certain types of stealing and murder, only certain types of murder. We are called to a higher law. We will be held to a higher standard when we stand before the Lord in the Last Day.
Pax
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