We have in the Gospel an example of Jesus fulfilling the Old
Law. As he began the Sermon on the
Mount in Matthew’s account, Jesus said, “I
have not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it.” In the particular incident in Mark’s
narrative, Jesus deals with dietary laws, which is good news for us who like
ham sandwiches and bacon.
What
Jesus does is to show a distinction between the external and internal. Note, he does not reject all the
externals—he fulfills them. So,
too, we Catholics have external signs of our internal faith.
I
have experienced this as I have grown from a baby to toddler priest. In my daily life I wear clerics—an external
thing. I don’t wear them to tell
the world, “I am better than you,” but to humbly say to everyone who sees me
that a priest is available for service.
So, too, at Mass. It’s a
good thing I don’t show up in sweatpants and a sweatshirt to celebrate the
divine liturgy! As I vest—putting on
the external garb—I offer the traditional vesting prayers which help me prepare
for Mass.
On
the other hand, I love how Pope Francis has been getting after clericalism and
elitism based largely on external ritual or dress—the “more lace, more grace”
philosophy. Many miss the point of
the Gospel by focusing too much emphasis on what is seen and too little on what
is inside.
Finally,
this newness of Christ can free us from an all-too-common reality of Catholics—the
list. How many reduce the faith
(albeit with good intentions) to a list of do’s and don’ts. “If I don’t do these actions, and I do
these, I am holy.” This program
leads to our Catholic guilt and falls short of Christ’s desire for us.
Jesus
came to offer us everything. He
came to allow for our very souls to be transformed. He came to help us live integrated and holy lives. We pray that the externals of our faith
will be means to this end.
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