Homily for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 29, 2021, Year B
Fr. René J. Butler, M.S. La Salette Missionaries of North America Hartford, Connecticut ( Click here for Sunday’s readings ) What’s wrong with washing your hands before you eat? What’s wrong with washing cups and jugs and kettles and beds? Nothing, of course. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Jesus did not criticize the Scribes and Pharisees for doing these things. What provoked his reaction was their reference to hand washing as "the tradition of the elders" and the reference to "unclean hands." As you know, "unclean" in the Bible is not the same as "dirty." It has to do with one’s suitability to participate in community and worship. Since a blessing was pronounced on all foods before eating, it made sense that you would not want to be "unclean" in any way. It isn’t so different from restaurants, however informal and casual, having a policy that reads, "No shirt, no shoes, no service." In other words not observing a