Justice, Mercy and Faith

Today’s Gospel Text: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity. 26 You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean. Matt 23:23-26

Reflection: Some matters are more important than the others.

This does not mean that the important matters are solely so important that they make the less important matters defunct. 

The Pharisees, on the other hand, were so notorious in the practice of the less important virtues, which may have been easy to practice and even observed by many that they failed in the practice of the more important virtue.

For this they face a very stringent rebuke by Jesus, who not only lay emphasis to the practicing of the lesser demands of the law but also laid a greater emphasis on the more important elements of the law.

Therefore according to Jesus, the more important matters are first and while practicing it the less important matter cannot be ignored. 

The comparison that Jesus draws of such a negative and careless attitude towards the law of God is unparalleled: “You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” (vs. 24) 

The danger of walking in the ways of the Pharisees exists even in our day and in ever newer ways.

The modern day Pharisees can be laying a great emphasis on the practice of the virtue of justice, mercy and faithfulness, which sometimes translates into modern day obedience to authorities, but these themselves may lack in the very practice of it.

The emphasis of Jesus is clear; what he expects of the Pharisees and all his followers is the practice of this virtue in their lives and not to fight or labor to establish a society of justice, mercy and faith based on human agenda.

And how is this justice, mercy and faithfulness lived?

The primary way in which one lives the value of justice is by giving the obeisance to God, as revealed by Jesus.  Not to acknowledge God, as revealed by Jesus, as one’s Father is the greatest injustice, far greater than any oppression and marginalization of a fellow human being.

Like the Pharisees who were instrumental in crucifying Jesus we too could be unjustly crucifying Christ once again even though we claim to be followers of him.

Nor can we show mercy to others if we do not show (give) our brothers and sisters, in decay, the path of life through faith.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to be your instrument of justice, mercy and faith.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

True Vine

Scripture/Bible: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:1-8

Reflection: Oh yes, there could be many vines in the vast fields of God’s creation.  Some good and some bad, some true and some false, some for a particular use and some only produce the wild variety. 

Some vines are cared for and some are not because they could be wild.

Not all those who care for the vine are good at bringing out the best nor are all vines cared for by the best.  

Jesus meets some very important criteria for making a choice for him, so that we may bear really good and also abundant fruits.  

One needs to have a true and good vine, a good caretaker, who knows when and how to prune and finally one has one’s own set goal which the caretaker will help achieve; abundant fruit.

Jesus is the true vine whose sap, the Holy Spirit and his word, flowing through us helps produce life and fruit. He is not alone in his task, there is a caretaker who is no ordinary person, his own Father, who prunes us out of love and concern that we may bear much fruit.

Remember that the Father prunes a branch that is abiding in the Vine and hence it is not just the branch that feels the pain of pruning, but more so the vine itself, which is Christ. Hence we are never alone in our walk in Christ, in all our ups and downs, our various struggles. He is totally united with us in everything.

The human being finds their fulfillment in doing things; in producing fruits. The more good fruit one produces the more satisfied and fulfilled one finds oneself.  In the process one may take the help of various resources at one’s disposal.  The Father along with the Son knows that we apart from Jesus can’t produce fruit for Jesus. Hence Jesus makes it clear to us that apart from him we can do nothing (vs. 5); we can’t produce good, sound, valuable, edible and marketable fruit.

If we are in him and do not produce fruit then we are bound to be put into the furnace of destruction.

Prayer: Lord, I firmly believe that apart from you I can do nothing. (Jn.5:5)

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us