September 1
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
“The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.”
Readings
Reflections
One of the things said by people who are not Catholics or Christians is that our faith is something that restricts us, keeping us away from things that can help us to enjoy our lives on this Earth. They say; “Catholics are these gloomy and unhappy people who are always giving things up and never experiencing joy or happiness.” Nothing could be further from the truth. We Catholics are people who know joy and peace on a regular basis, because we follow a God who helps us to live our lives for others, rather than just for ourselves. In sharing the goodness we have in our lives, we can double and even triple our happiness.
Our readings today speak of God’s plan for us to live our lives in such a way that we share our joy with others. In the first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, we see that Moses has given the people the Ten Commandments, and he encourages them to be faithful to them. By the people being faithful to them, non-believers will come to see that there is indeed a God to be followed–a God who is close to his people.
Our second reading for the next five weeks comes from the Letter of St James, and in today’s passage he is calling on the people to be faithful to the Lord and to follow the Word of God without making any changes to that Word for it is already perfect. The Word contains instructions for living under the law of God and inheriting eternal life.
In the gospel we see Christ admonishing the authorities for over-emphasizing the letter of the Law and not adhering at all to the spirit of the Law. Our readings today remind us that the Commandments and the Law of God are there, not to make life difficult, but to give life, to improve the quality of life which we already have. Only by keeping the Commandments of God as he intended them can we grow and inherit eternal life. Knowing that we are on our way to heaven is something that also gives us joy and peace.
Keep the faith,
Deacon Dare
Would you like to receive these reflections in your inbox? Subscribe to The Sunday Read newsletter.