PRAYER MOMENT
Tuesday
26 August 2014
WEIGHTY
MATTERS
Pause. Be still in God’s presence.
Reading: “Alas for you, scribes and
Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who pay your tithes of mint and dill and cummin and
have neglected the weightier matters of the law – justice, mercy, good faith.”
(Matt 23:23-26)
Reflection. Jesus continues his fearless
criticism of the religious leaders who concentrate on the formal practices of
the law and ignore the spirit of that same law. They buttress their position as
leaders by constantly insisting on easy matters they can control and leave to
one side the basic issues of society concerning justice and compassion. This is
clear enough looking back to Jesus’ time and we say, ‘How right he was!’ But
what of our own daily experience where the temptation to preserve the appearances
in our religion or in our state while
neglecting the essentials of social justice and mercy? There are areas where
authorities can exert their power in trivial things, which harass and frustrate
people, while those same authorities avoid the weightier matters that can get society
moving.
Prayer. Jesus, our Creator and Lord,
you came to bring fire on the earth and became intensely angry with those who
blocked the paths of justice and showed no compassion. Help us to seek ways to
promote justice and compassion today. Amen
David Harold-Barry SJ
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