DIRTY HANDS, PURE HEARTS

EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

August 3, Tuesday    

It is regrettable that the Lectionary has omitted that part of the remark of Jesus that gives the foundation of this episode: “Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” Jesus redefines the true understanding of purity. One is pure not because of ritual ablutions but because of one’s fidelity to God’s law. Human traditions that obstruct God’s law should be abolished. After all, it is the spirit of the law that counts, not the letter.

 

First Reading: Numbers 12:1-13

Camp Hazeroth

Miriam and Aaron talked against Moses behind his back because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite woman). They said, “Is it only through Moses that God speaks? Doesn’t he also speak through us?”

God overheard their talk.

Now the man Moses was a quietly humble man, more so than anyone living on Earth. God broke in suddenly on Moses and Aaron and Miriam saying, “Come out, you three, to the Tent of Meeting.” The three went out. God descended in a Pillar of Cloud and stood at the entrance to the Tent. He called Aaron and Miriam to him. When they stepped out, he said,

Listen carefully to what I’m telling you.
If there is a prophet of God among you,
I make myself known to him in visions,
I speak to him in dreams.
But I don’t do it that way with my servant Moses;
he has the run of my entire house;
I speak to him intimately, in person,
in plain talk without riddles:
He ponders the very form of God.
So why did you show no reverence or respect
in speaking against my servant, against Moses?

The anger of God blazed out against them. And then he left.

When the Cloud moved off from the Tent, oh! Miriam had turned leprous, her skin like snow. Aaron took one look at Miriam—a leper!

He said to Moses, “Please, my master, please don’t come down so hard on us for this foolish and thoughtless sin. Please don’t make her like a stillborn baby coming out of its mother’s womb with half its body decomposed.”

And Moses prayed to God:

Please, God, heal her,
please heal her.

 

Gospel: Matthew 13:22-36

Walking on the Water

As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.

Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared out of their wits. “A ghost!” they said, crying out in terror.

But Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Courage, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.”

Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.”

He said, “Come ahead.”

Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!”

Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?”

The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. The disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying, “This is it! You are God’s Son for sure!”

On return, they beached the boat at Gennesaret. When the people got wind that he was back, they sent out word through the neighbourhood and rounded up all the sick, who asked for permission to touch the edge of his coat. And whoever touched him was healed.

 

Prayer

Father, God of the everlasting covenant,
you have tied us to yourself
with leading strings of lasting love;
the words you speak to us
are spirit and life.
Open our hearts to your word,
that they may touch us
in the deepest of ourselves.
May they move us to serve you
not in a slavish way,
but as your sons and daughters
who love you and whom you have set free
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflection: Come to me!

Matthew is describing, with the biblical language, the situation of the Christian communities of his time. They were “tormented” by many trials. He literally used the term “tortured”, or “tormented”. He had used the same word previously, where the men possessed by the evil spirits asked Jesus: Have you come here before the time torture us? [Matthew 8:29]; in other Jewish writings, this term has been used to refer to political torture and oppression). Matthew had in mind the tortures, confronting believers in his community. Pope Francis had described this passage as a beautiful icon of the faith of Apostle Peter. In the voice of Jesus who tells him: “Come!”, he recognizes the echo of the first encounter on the shore of that very lake, and right away, once again, he leaves the boat and goes toward the Teacher. And this time around, he walks on the waters! A faithful and ready response to the Lord’s call always enables one to achieve extraordinary things. Remember, Jesus himself had told us that we are capable of performing miracles with faith in Him, faith in his word, faith in his voice. Peter however begins to sink when he allows himself to be overwhelmed by the hardships around him. The character of Peter, with his passion and his weaknesses, can describe our own faith: ever fragile and impoverished, anxious and frightened and yet victorious amid the storms and dangers of the world, the Christian community walks in faith to meet the Risen Lord. Jesus had let them battle alone on the boat in the dark. Only when it was early in the morning did he approach them. Matthew is giving clear references to the liberating presence and action of Yahweh. The fourth watch of the night had been the time when God had liberated the fleeing Israelites from their oppression under Pharaoh, going before them and leading them across the water. When Jesus got into the boat, the wind ceased. A boat which braves the storms and sometimes seems on the point of sinking is an image of the Church. What saves her is not the skill and courage of her crew members, but the faith that the Lord would walk through the storms to take his place in the boat. Faith gives us the certainty of Jesus’ presence always beside us, of his hand which grasps us to pull us back from danger.

 

Video available on Youtube : Come to me!