Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator
We have reached the point of St. Matthew's Gospel that is the antithesis of the section in the beginning of the Gospel which we call the Sermon on the Mount. This last of the five dissertations of St. Matthew's Gospel begins with a list of "Woes." Remember that the Sermon on the Mount began with the "Blesseds," or Beatitudes. Just as Jesus laid out the situations which could be regarded as life giving, he know speaks of those issues which kill the possibility of a right relationship with God. The Beatitudes challenged the way the culture of Jesus' time thought about life. The "Woes" do the same thing. The word "woe" is used to signify death.
Today's Gospel speaks of religious practices which could be classified as trivialities. Jesus speaks of some of the dietary rules of Judaism. The men and women who practice these customs are not doing something that is wrong. They have, however, used their observance of these customs as distractions to the fact that they have ignored far larger issues. It is easier to make sure that you wash out your cups and serving dishes than it is to act mercifully and compassionately. Rather than extend a helping hand to those in need, their hands are busy with trivial pursuits.
Once again, we must note that following the dietary rules of Judaism is not in and of itself an evil thing. However, the motivation behind this strict observance is usually a matter of trying to earn God's favor. It would be akin to modern day Catholics maintaining that the laws of Friday abstinence are the mark of a truly righteous person of faith. Such people miss the point completely. Who we are in God's sight is not a matter of what we do.