We hear the Lord tell the people through the prophet Isaiah that he does not care about the sacrifices that they made in the Temple, sacrifices that were an important part of their Temple worship to God. The people tried to be faithful in the way they worshipped God in the Temple, as they prayed there and offered sacrifices and celebrated the important religious feasts. However, their faith remained mostly in the Temple. It did not transform and permeate their daily lives. It did not change the way the practiced justice or the way they treated the widows and the orphans. This message speaks to all of us very profoundly this evening. How has our faith transformed us as individuals, as families, as a parish, as a community? Mississippi has one of the highest rates of people going to church each week in the country, but Jackson is also one of the most violent cities in the nations. God does not want a life of faith without justice. Our faith must permeate our homes, our businesses, our schools, our governmental institutions, and the streets. How are we living out our faith in the ordinary moments of our daily lives?
I was very happy to see so many people yesterday celebrate with us at mass and enjoying fellowship together. May we feel a sense of community and share our faith with each other, lifting each other up.
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