tradition and calling

Good morning friends,
Jesus makes a distinction here between religious traditions developed by people and doctrines given by God. He makes this point in response to criticism from the Pharisees about his disciples failing to perform traditional hand washing before eating. Jesus argues that the Pharisees make up traditions that interfere with God's guidance to people. The example he uses is gifts to God. Jesus claims that by emphasizing gifts to God in the wrong way the Pharisees end up discouraging people from taking care of their parents in their old age. In this way human traditions get in the way of God's command to honor our parents. This passage is a great reminder that, while tradition can help us come closer to God it can also be a barrier to vibrant faith.

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 15:1-9
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.” 3He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’ 5But you say that whoever tells father or mother, ‘Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God,’ then that person need not honor the father. 6So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God. 7You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said: 8‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 9in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’”