SINCERE HEART
PREACHER: FrATER Brain Septianus Haloho
All of us must have ever carried out our activities merely as a formality. Expression “as long as the boss is happy” is one of effective way to deceive ourself and others. As a result, when we are told to do something, we do not sincerely love the job. We only “appear to be doing the work”, but in our hearts, we are grumbling about doing it.
My beloved brothers and sisters,
Today’s Gospel, Mark chapter 7 verses 1 to 8 entails the criticism that Jesus addressed to the Pharisees. “Jesus’ criticism” was motivated by “The hypocrisy of the Pharisees”. The Pharisees were very rigid and strictly adhered to the traditions of their ancestors. So, it makes sense that Jesus was angry. Because, they are prioritized human tradition over God’s commandments. As a result, everything they do and say is a “mask and bullshit”. Not pure from their hearts.
Condemnation on unfaithfulness is also delivered by Moses as we have heard in today’s first reading from the book of Deuteronomy. Moses also emphasized that the Israelites should adhere to God’s commandments, without reducing or adding any other part on it. Because if the Israelites were determined to add or to subtract the God’s law outside of His provisions, then it is clear that their aim in doing this is to glorify themselves. Not to glorify our God.
My beloved brothers and sisters,
Now our reflection is “Have we really listened and carried out God’s law? What is actually our reason for carrying out God’s law? For His glory? or For our own glory?” This criticism from Jesus was also conveyed to us. We were invited by Jesus to really believe in Him. We were invited to always be openly and appear as we are when doing something. In fact, He invited us to face difficulties and challenges in our lives.
Jesus’ criticism is in accordance with today’s second reading, that is taken from The Letter of James. James the Apostle emphasizes that all of us should be the doers of His Word. Not only hearers. But we are also asked to implement His Word in our daily lives. In another word, Word of God today invites us to stop looking the difficulties as things that can not be solved. Instead, let us stop deceiving ourself and start believing the process that we initiate from the first place.
Therefore, anything that come out from our hearts: words, actions, and our attitude are the reflection and the depth of our understanding in believing God. The more we complain, the more we doubt Him. The other way around, the more we express gratitude wholeheartedly, the more we represent and reappear Him as the source of truth, salvation, and purity.
My beloved brothers and sisters,
Those are the values that we should promote in our daily lives. May God bless us in our endeavor to do good things and preserve good values.
Amen.
Ini adalah teks kotbah/renungan dalam Bahasa Inggris yang disusun, diterjemahkan dan disampaikan oleh seorang calon imam diosesan Keuskupan Agung Medan, Frater Brain Septianus Haloho.
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