Dear Parishioners,
As Americans, we cherish our freedoms. We especially don’t like it when we think our freedoms are being restricted or limited in some way. But the good Lord gave us freedom to be used for good and not evil. When we use freedom in this way, we find balance and peace in our lives. However, we can make mistakes in judgment, and so God gives us guidance. In today’s first reading (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8), Moses talks to the people about this heavenly advice; it’s called COMMANDMENTS. Moses tells the people that those who follow them will be thought to be “wise and intelligent.” In the gospel (Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23), Jesus criticizes the Pharisees and scribes for twisting the commandments to suit themselves. It’s a trap we too can fall into if we are not careful. When we pick and choose which moral teachings we will follow and which ones we will ignore, we become hypocrites. Let us follow Moses’ advice about the commandments and be thought of as “wise and intelligent.”
- Fr. Carl
Rev. Stephen Hook is Pastor of the Pastorate of the Visitation which includes the Catholic Churches of Pasadena, Maryland: St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Riviera Beach) and Our Lady of the Chesapeake (Lakeshore). He is assisted by Associate Pastor Rev. John Belinki, Deacon Howard Klohr, and Deacon Rick Clemens. To learn more about our pastorate, please visit www.catholicpasadena.org.
