Friend Or Foe

Humorist Sam Levenson begins one of his books with the following notice:

Debate this Sunday: “There Ain’t No Hell” versus “The Hell There Ain’t.”

In today’s Gospel Lesson our attention is invited to one h____ of a debate between Jesus and the Pharisees on the subject of “Tradition.”

There is nothing wrong with being a traditionalist. Jesus was a traditionalist in His religious practices. He read the Scriptures. He worshipped and even preached in the synagogue. As a child, He had been circumcised and presented in the Temple, according to the Jewish Tradition. And yet, His fidelity to tradition was constantly being challenged by the Pharisees. In today’s Gospel Lesson, they are at it again.

As you know, the Hebrew Tradition contained a great many dietary laws and customs, among which was the custom of scrupulously washing one’s hands before eating. “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition?” the Pharisees demanded of Jesus. And His reply was, “You hypocrites!” Jesus…