Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Tuesday of the fifth week in Ordinary Time, February 11, 2025

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Genesis 1: 20 - 2: 4a; Rs psalm 8: 4-5.6-7.8-9; Mark 7: 1-13CLEANTHIS WORLD FROM HYPOCRISY Thetheme for our meditation today is: Clean this World from Hypocrisy. There isone couple who has been married for less than a year fighting very often. Thewife accused her husband of having a relationship with a female friend at theoffice. But the husband managed to strongly deny every accusation from hiswife. Until the time the husband was taking a shower in the bathroom, the wifefound a direct message on her husband's handphone that was left on the table intheir room. Thewife had no hesitation to check that incoming message in her husband’s handphone.It turned out that all her prejudices were proven true. Returning from thebathroom, she immediately confronted her husband, and he was unable to argue orto find excuse anymore. The wife absolutely demanded that he should not behypocritical anymore. He must stop that relationship in any form, if theirmarriage was to be purified and preserved. Wecan put the strong reaction of that woman in the same line with the great taskof Jesus who wanted to eliminate all forms of hypocrisy on earth. The Phariseesand scribes were the main actors of hypocrisy during Jesus' time on earth. Theycame down from Jerusalem to where Jesus was to prove that Jesus and Hisfollowers had violated the Jewish custom and religion. The rule they stronglyemphasized was the man's interpretation of God's commandment from Moses. Forexample, they found that Jesus' apostles did not wash their hands before meal. JesusChrist firmly responded that they really betrayed the true purpose of the wordof God. For example, the commandment from Moses was to respect and love one’sparents, especially those who were suffering certain illness in their ownfamilies. The actual costs for medicating the sick in the families werediverted for various kinds of taxes of the synagogue or offerings. The peoplewere required to fulfill this diverted rule and it turned out that the moneycollected were only for their consumption. This type of corruption had becometheir practices of faith and is still in practice until now. Theirmotivation was money. Their religious life was not to do God's will, but toearn money through religious practices. To reinforce this main strategy, theyhad to make up all the rules on the human appearance such as the washing handsor cleaning themselves. Their appearance must be pure, their lips and mouthsmust be well-spoken, and their gestures must be perfect. The people must reallybelieve in them. This was what Jesus strongly opposed and condemned. Godindeed sanctified all that was created and all were made good for our lives.Our duty is to obey His commands, and not making ourselves hypocritical, whichis to become God so that others praise and worship us.Let's pray. In thename of the Father ...  O Lord JesusChrist, strengthen us to be able to resist all the falsehoods we face in ourdaily life. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... Inthe name of the Father …