February 6, 2024, Tuesday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time-B ST PAUL MIKI AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS

1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30

Psalm 84

Mark 7:1-13

“…listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day.”  1 Kings 8:28

 “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me;” Mk.7:6

Lord, I can hear the frustration in your response to the Pharisees who questioned why you and your disciples didn’t follow all the rules.  They were really questioning your holiness and dedication to God.  They had allowed rules and regulations to be the measure of how faithful a person was to God.  You scolded them for their neurotic fussiness in following the minute legalities of the law rather than the love of God and neighbor.  Lord, we too can have some Pharisee in us.  It’s sometimes a lot easier to be satisfied with observing the requirements of attending Mass, dropping a check into the basket and making a dish for the church potluck than to love you with all our hearts and caring for our neighbor.   Lord, Solomon, the king of Israel, humbled himself to realize that his servant relationship with you was most important.  May I today, Lord, be faithful to the traditions of my faith but realize that my love relationship with you and my family, coworkers and neighbors is the priority.  It won’t do much good to have a perfect attendance record in church and not honor you with my whole heart.  St. Paul Miki, pray for us.  Amen.