Let’s be honest

Today’s first reading is the concluding section of the first story of creation found in the book of Genesis 1:20-2:4. In this story the writer continues to stress the goodness and fruitfulness of creation. Then, God arrives at the final stage of this creative activity, the creation of humankind. We are created in the image of God. However, this account goes on to say that we humans are to dominate and conquer the rest of creation. The problem with this story is that it can be interpreted to mean that we can exploit our environment to the point where so many species of animals and plants have become extinct and where the earth has been scarred by ugly open-cast mines and widespread deforestation and where the seas and the atmosphere have become poisoned and polluted to the point that it threatens the very health of us humans who are responsible. Catastrophic natural disasters and widespread climate change are the consequence. Yet present-day political leaders can still say, “Drill, baby, drill!” This brings me to the gospel, from Mark 7:7:1-13 where Jesus challenges the way the Pharisees and scribes interpret the Law. They complain because Jesus’ followers were eating bread without washing their hands.

 

Down through the centuries various traditions had arisen which were based on the belief that the Gentiles or non-Jews were unclean. Now, because there was always the chance that you could unwittingly brush against a Gentile down at the marketplace, whenever you got home you had to first of all clean your hands, not because they are dirty but because you may have touched something given to you by an unclean Gentile. Basicly it was founded on the belief that this is a dangerous world and you never knew how or when you could be infected by unclean people or unclean animals. Underlying this belief was the notion that strict observance of the Law would help to restore God’s favour to Israel. The trouble was that the Law became mixed up with a whole lot of human traditions. It is like the way people have used the Bible to justify their uncontrolled exploitation of the earth. What Jesus objected to was the way religious leaders use the Bible to justify discrimination and condemnation. Let’s just be honest and face up to what we do when we mistreat others or disfigure our environment. Let us stop using the Bible to justify ungodly acts of discrimnation and exploitation. Try to read these texts about creation and the Law in their ancient contexts. When you’re trying to survive in a harsh desert environment and trying to keep alive your religious identity in the face of exile and enslavement, you see creation and the Law in a different light.