Faith, tradition and religion from the heart
In the “American Idol” finals Jessica Sanchez, the brown-skinned Filipino-Mexican mestiza, faced an uphill battle with the favorite and ultimately the officially declared winner:Phillip Phillips. But the spunky girl gave her all and rendered beautiful songs which won the admiration from millions of spectators all over the world, for her songs were coming from the heart. Or as the locals would say, “bigay-na-bigay” “taos-puso” or “kinasingkasing.”
The Lord faced a huge problem regarding the practice of the faith during his time. The Jews who knew religion and the specific practices prescribed by the Law of Moses conveniently omitted the heart of the matter or the essence of true religion and focused their attention instead to external practices prescribed by what their head had concocted. These professional practitioners of religion had forgotten the heart of the matter. Their hearts did not coincide with what they had concocted in their heads. `
The results were both ridiculous and disastrous. For example, according to the `official interpretation’ given by the scribes and Pharisees-the self-declared experts in religion--a man would no longer be obliged to support his parents in their old age, as the fourth commandment stipulates, provided he declares his property as “corban,” that is `holy to the Lord.’ A very convenient practice to the detriment and sad state of the elderly.
Too, even if wickedness or sin lurks in the heart of the person but provided he washes himself and the instruments he touches ritually then he, according to their own religious opinion, would be considered clean and ritually worthy.
The Lord clearly pointed out to his critics, especially the scribes and Pharisees who placed so much importance on external ritual purity--that of much greater importance is the cleanliness of the heart and the purity of intention. Only then can the offering, the sacrifice and the very person who offers the prayer and sacrifice be rendered acceptable before the Lord.
Some thoughts come to our minds as a consequence. First of all, with the recent fad of placing so much importance on science and mathematics in the education of our children these same children run the risk of developing their heads or intellects to the disadvantage of a less developed, even neglected formation of their hearts.
Likewise, too “bookish” ritualistic compliance of the mass would reduce it to an obligatory rite to be complied with under the pain of sin. The mass as a joyful celebration of thanks, a Eucharist, runs the risk of being forgotten as people go to the Sunday routine to fulfill a burdensome and bothersome obligation. In a recent Caribbean cruise, a group of Filipinos decided to make the daily mass aboard the cruise ship both meaningful and joyful. They prepared the prayers and the songs thereby making it truly a liturgy, that is, “the work or activity of the people.” To everyone’s surprise and joy, people started to come and fill the cruise ship’s auditorium. Their worship drew many people to attend because it was an expression of their love for the Lord, their own unworthiness before Him, and of their deep faith or belief brought out in songs and prayers coming from the heart.