Nor do they eat anything, when they come from the market, without first washing themselves. And there are many other traditions they observe;
for example, the ritual washing of cups, pots and plates. So the Pharisees and the teachers of the law asked him,
“Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders, but eat with unclean hands?” Jesus answered,
“You shallow people! How well Isaiah prophesied of you when he wrote: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
The worship they offer me is worthless, for what they teach are only human rules.
You even put aside the commandment of God to hold fast to human tradition.”
And Jesus commented, “You have a fine way of disregarding the commandments of God in order to enforce your own traditions! For example,
Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and: Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death. But according to you,
someone could say to his father or mother, ‘I already declared Corban (which means “offered to God”) what you could have expected from me.’
In this case, you no longer require him to do anything for his father or mother; and so you nullify the word of God through the tradition you have handed on.
And you do many other things like that.”
REFLECTION:
Recently, we have decided in our community to write down the monastic practices we learned from our Mother Foundress.
This is an important legacy to the future generation so that the charism and spirit of our Foundress are kept alive.
As we examined those traditions, we identified those that are not relevant for our time and those which are still relevant.
There are many traditions, which have helped us remain faithful to the gospel values and charism of our Foundress. Traditions,
which promote healthy and happy community life, are necessary while those which cripple our spiritual growth are to be disregarded.
This process indeed needs much discernment; we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020