"This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
These words should come across strongly not only for the scribes and Pharisees who heard them, but also for all of us.
We must always remember the greatest of commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor. If we carry out these two laws faithfully; not only will we come to honor Christ with our lips, but we will also allow our hearts to remain with Him.
Christ came not to deny people of His mercy, but He came in order to extend His mercy unto them. We see this portrayed to us upon the cross. The Law existed not to cut people off from God, but it existed in order to draw them into proper relationship with God.
The scribes and the Pharisees had forgotten about this reality. They had implemented the Law in a manner that cut people off from being assured of God's love. They forgot about the need to purify not only hands and feet, but ultimately to purify their hearts to love and serve the Lord.
As we know the Church is filled with many rules, but at the same time we cannot dismiss them as man made laws. Verse 8 of our Gospel states: "You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."
The Church has always pointed towards the balance that must exist between scripture and tradition. Scripture does not contradict tradition nor can tradition contradict scripture. The two work in conjunction in order to balance each other out.
If we follow the tradition that has been handed down to us by the Church we in return are following Christ. Saint Paul firmly taught that Christians must hold fast to the Tradition given not only by Christ, but also by the apostles through their teaching authority.
Nevertheless, following the Tradition of the Church does not cut people off from the mercy of God. Holding fast to the Tradition of the Church does not mean that we are to cease to love God or our neighbor. Sometimes true charity requires us to do something that is difficult, but in return that does not mean that an individual has been cut off from Christ's mercy. True charity requires us to cut away that which is found to be harmful in order to be sent forth to love and serve the Lord.
Our reading from Saint James clearly stated that God is the Father of Lights. This is a reflection of creation and is thus a reflection of our own need to follow God and thus allow Him to be the constant light whom we are always in search of. Shadows change their position with the changing of the sun, but God always holds firm and true no matter the situation that we might find ourself in the midst of.
We cannot live a life where duplicity is found. Duplicity where our outward actions are tailored to meet the situation that we find ourself in. If we are at Church we act holy or if we are found among friends we act in an opposite manner. This duplicity of life is a great impossibility if we are to follow the Father of Lights who has called us to follow after Him.
Therefore let us not get caught up like the scribes and Pharisees who were solely concerned with what was being presented on the outside. Let us look inwardly upon ourself and strive to achieve a proper purity of heart.
The sixth beatitude calls us to achieve this reality: "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."
To be found pure of heart means that we have cut away all that we have put in the way of serving Christ. Our intellect and our will must be attuned to God who desires holiness from us.
Therefore, let us each reflect upon the many ways that we need to purify our heart to better serve the Lord. Let us also reflect on how much we are willing to sacrifice in order to achieve this reality. Christ desired and has extended His infinite mercy unto us, but in return are we willing to accept this infinite mercy by the way that we order our life to give service to Him?
May we desire to be found pure of heart. Therefore we will not only praise God with our lips, but we will also do so through the very disposition of our heart which has been entirely elevated towards service of Him and His Most Holy Name.
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