Mass Homily 2018 11 04
Clevelanddiocese. 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage. 1st Reading - Deuteronomy 6:2-6 Life, for Moses, meant serving God and leading his people to the promised land. Here, with his characteristic humility and patience, he repeats the precepts and directives given him by God. He wants to engrave them on the minds and hearts of his people, to keep them loyal to the commitment made by their parents (he is now addressing a new generation of Israelites, all of those who would have been under the age of twenty when the exodus began). As a permanent reminder for future generations, when they cross the Jordan they must write the Law on stone (Deuteronomy 27:2-3), and from then on the Law is to be read out to the people every seven years (seven being the number which is representative of the covenant) to ensure that they obey it. The Decalogue (the ten commandments, but literally in Hebrew, “the ten words”) have just been read and our 1st reading today is an explanation of the 1st commandment. In this reading we see the two basic principles in Deuteronomy: 1) Monotheism - Israel has to believe in the One True God. 2) It must love Him above all else. [Moses spoke to the people saying;] 2 [F]ear the LORD, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, The giving of the law is intimately connected with the promise of the land; the land being one of the “blessings” for keeping the covenant. and thus have long life. 3 Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey. The promise made to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:8). The land of the Canaanites was seen as a temptation for the Israelites because of its fruitfulness after 40 years of wandering in the desert and also as a theological problem because this fertility was seen as a divine blessing on the Canaanites (see Deuteronomy 8:7-20). 4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! This refers to other gods worshiped by pagans; especially the Baal of Canaan. Yahweh is the only real, the only living, God.
5 Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.” Why does God give these things to Israel? Because He loves them. Here, they are enjoined to reciprocate and love the Lord their God in return. A covenant is a sacred family bond and they are to respond to God’s love as God’s children. Love is covenant fidelity. Verses 4-9 are a prayer called the Shema. It is a summary of true religion: “4 Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord; 5 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; 7 and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Revised Standard Version). The Shema is the Hebrew profession of faith. As we use the creed in Christian worship, so do the Jewish people use the Shema in their synagogue service. In verse 8 of the Shema, the “sign”, was taken literally and resulted in the phylacteries worn on the left arm and forehead. The phylacteries contain four passages from the Law [Exodus 13:1-10 (the matzoth-unleavened cakes); Exodus 13:11-16 (the Passover); Deuteronomy 4:6-9 (the Shema-profession of belief in God); and Deuteronomy 11:13-21 (the commandment to love God and not serve other Gods)].