I’ve encountered people, even in my own family, who would like to be spiritual, but not religious.  If I had to name the reason for that statement, it would probably have to do with their disapproval of rules and statutes that are involved with being religious. At the foundation of who we are as humans is the realization that we were meant for communion and relationship. And what is religion, but people coming together in communion to practice rules and statutes? Hence, we were actually meant to be religious people, not separate from religion and only spiritual.

Our first reading reveals God calling on the Israelite people to observe His statutes and decrees, forming them as a people in the faith. In our second reading, St. James confirms that the people of God are called to be “doers of the word”, and not only listen on the sidelines.  Yet in our Gospel, it might seem that the Lord is telling us not to follow religious practices… So what are we to do?

Have you ever noticed a time when rules can actually be a good thing?  I remember being trained in manners for a formal dinner. Knowing which fork to use, which glass is yours, etc… actually gives you the freedom to enter into conversation with the others at the table.  If you are too worried about which bread plate is yours, you can’t be free to enjoy the evening! In this case, rules give us freedom and open us to relationship. Our faith is likewise; if we live out the statutes of our faith, we actually enter into deeper relationships with God and neighbor.

What about rules in the confines of a sport? From baseball, football, lacrosse, and soccer to hockey, each sport has its own rules. Those who master the game, master their knowledge of all the rules involved in order to compete well. If the rules constantly change, the sport becomes irrelevant.  Our faith is likewise. If we want to enter into the depth of our faith well, we will need to understand and live by the statutes that the Lord lays before us.

So what is Christ getting at in the Gospel? The rules and statutes that Jesus rebukes are those that removed the focus from God and others, and instead focused on the individual pride and ego. The Pharisees and scribes had been separating themselves from the people they were called to serve.  They were giving the impression that they were following the rules God commanded, but their hearts were far from God. They kept piling up expectations upon the Jewish people, while ignoring the pride, evil, and greed growing within their hearts. This is a reminder to us that we must never forget to keep our focus on God, and how to grow closer to him as we dive deeper into the rules and statutes of our faith. We must always remember the “why” behind them.

Our faith does have rules, but they are ultimately there so we can enter deeply into our relationship with God and others, and have life to the full!

Father Michael