Year B - Sunday 22
Readings: Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-8; James 1: 18; Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23
In the first reading, Moses’ new legislation for his people declares only one master: Jehovah. All citizens, including himself (and, by implication, all other authorities), are equal. The social and political structure Moses institutes is thoroughly horizontal (and certainly not pyramidical). This, he declares, is a configuration which is both novel and the envy of all other nations. (Years later, when a king was appointed in Israel, his brilliant organizational vision was dashed, only to be restored by Jesus)
Jesus notices that some people extol values such as those of equality, freedom, fraternity, love, etc. (which were part of Moses' original dream), only superficially and without conviction. They render lip service to what they do not believe in and do not practice. Their belief, on the contrary, is in having masters and slaves. Jesus denounces this wholeheartedly.
James reminds us that to make a decision to opt for such vales which are the basis of a social and political system which encourages a horizontal diversity in unity a true and proper conversion is necessary. This is a turn of mind and heart which switches our allegiance to a mere assemblage of egoists (or altruists, for that matter) to that which envisions a community based on cooperation and voluntarism.
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