Fr. Sanctus Mario
Inspiration and Bible Reflections

Our Reverence to God; True or Worthless? Mark 7:1–13

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Breakfast with the Word Tuesday Week 5 in Ordinary Time of the Year

 

Mark 7:1-13

 

 

To have reverence for someone or something means a gesture of respect that we show to the person. It is when we have a high sense of honour for someone that we respect. To show sincere reverence to God is when we sincerely honour God and fear Him. It is when we elevate God above everything else that exists.

 

Sincere reverence to God does not flow out of lip service or to show the world that we are the holiest. Sincere reverence comes from a true and sincere worship of God. It means that our worship of God is not false. Sincere reverence to God is born out of respect and devotion to God.

 

False reverence is simply an outward show of righteousness but a high disregard for God’s commands.

Reverence starts in the heart and manifests in our actions. When we have reverence for God, it manifests in the things we do and how we do them.

 

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The Gospel.

 

Today the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked Jesus “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders, but eat with unclean hands?

 

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Jesus answered, “You, shallow people! How well Isaiah prophesied of you when he wrote: these peo­ple honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. The worship they offer me is nothing but worthless, for what they teach are only but human rules”. They pay attention only to their traditions, responsibilities and not a true relationship with God.

 

This response from Jesus Christ then indicates that every false reverence rendered to God is worthless.

 

When Our worship becomes Worthless.

 

 

Jesus’ response to the Pharisees indicates that there are times when our worship or reverence to God seems to be worthless. They are worthless because they do not come from a sincere desire to worship God. They are worthless because we do them only for another intention, hereby giving God a false reverence.

 

Like the Pharisees, this is when we appear to be close to God, but truly we are not. It happens when we appear like a prayer warrior, but we do those things for the sake of the show of it.

 

Our worship of God becomes worthless when our body is in the church every day, but our heart is very far from Him. This is when we attend liturgical activities just for the sake of attending and not out of that heartfelt desire to meet God, hear His word and have a true relationship with Him.

 

Our reverence to God is meaningless when we appear perfect in front of people, but we do not want to have a sincere relationship with God.

 

Our reverence to God can be false when we serve God just because of our positions but not out of that inner love we have for God. This also happens when we go to mass because we do it to fulfill our Sunday obligations but there is no sincere hunger for the word of God. In us then, there is no sincere desire for God.

Our reverence is meaningless when there is no real and sincere desire to approach God for the day. When our hunger for serving God is born out of what to gain and not from the love we have for God, then our worship simply false.

 

Our worship of God may become worthless even when we read prayers from a book without truly praying to them. Thus, we are happy rushing it because, for us, the spiritual is nothing.

It is worthless when what we do is only to garner human appraisal and not from the truest intention.

Our reverence to God is false when we take everything as if they are mechanical. It happens when we rush to society and church meetings because we are members, and our absence may lead to punishment from the group and not out of true devotion to God.

Our reverence to God becomes worthless when our appearance seems to be innocent, but our hearts are dirty and full of evil.

 

 

True or Worthless?

 

1 Samuel 12:24 says “fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully from your heart. The question we can then ask is “why are we doing what we are doing?” Why do we belong where we belonged? Is it to truly serve God or just for membership?

 

True reverence for God comes from a sincere devotion. This is when we worship God because of the relationship we have with Him. Our devotion to God must sincerely come from the heart and not just to fulfill a certain obligation. Then comes the question for all of us “Is my worship of God true or worthless? This calls for reflection.

 

May God forgive us dearest and may we especially encounter Him today Amen

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34 Comments
  1. Ekwem Emmanuela Chiamaka says

    Amen

  2. Munachimso onuoha says

    Amen

  3. Mercy E Johnny says

    Amen, Lord Jesus make me to focus on You. Amen

  4. Mailoushi James says

    Amen

    1. Michael Jones says

      Amen.

  5. Ifeoma N says

    Father, please help us to worship and adore you in spirit and in truth and with the purest of intentions, Amen
    Virgin most pure, pray for us

  6. Angela Madu says

    May His help us and give the grace to worship Him out of love with sincerity.
    Amen

  7. Eze, Blessing Chinasa says

    Amen. God, please give me your grace to worship you in sincerity.

  8. Igwe Lilian says

    Amen

  9. Ada Ndubuisi says

    Amen

    1. Onukwugha Florence says

      Father thanks for this wonderful reflections.Oh God, Please give me the Grace to have a Sincere relationship that will manifest from my Heart and Fear for your Words.Cheers.

  10. Nancy chizoba says

    Lord Jesus, give me the grace to worship you in true and in spirit Amen. Thank fr. For this great piece.

  11. FloxzyUc says

    Amen

  12. Olomu Chinedu says

    I needed to hear this. Times I have failed. May God forgive me and continue to strengthen me.Amen
    Good morning Fr

  13. Onyekonwu Ngozi says

    Amen. Thank you Jesus for your breakfast this morning. O Lord let the fire of sincere worship for keep on burning in my heart through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.

  14. Ogwa Oluchi Rose says

    Amen

    1. Chisom Egwudike says

      Amen

      This is really deep. Reflecting…..

  15. Adeline Chidimma says

    God help me to serve you with complete devotion and sincerely.

  16. OJIOGBU JACINTA says

    Lord please help me to always worship and reverence you from the innermost part of my heart…Amen

  17. Gabriel-Martin says

    Amen Fr

  18. Rosemary Umeze says

    Amen. Thank you Padré

  19. Regina Mobu says

    Amen! Lord help to encounter you personally. Thank you Father for all the encouragements.

  20. Adichie Chizoba says

    Lord may I encounter you in all that I do today. Amen

  21. Ifeoma Ugwueze says

    Amen

    God, help me to worship you with true heart and faith in Jesus name, Amen

  22. Anthonia Okonkwo says

    Amen.

  23. Stella Ekwemalor says

    Amen
    Oh Lord, please forgive us in any manner we have pay a lip service to you and help us to be genuine in our service to you.
    Amen

  24. Dr Chinwe Agwoile says

    Lord, please, forgive me for the number of times I’ve been hypocritical in worshiping You or in my relationship with my Neighbor. May I always revere You most sincerely and in fear and trembling. May my profession of faith in and love for You be synonymous with my lifestyle. May I enjoy a perfect relationship with You and my Neighbor. Help me by Your Grace, Lord! Thanks dear Padre! I pray same for you.

  25. Mbama Christiana says

    Thank you Padre for this beautiful reflection. May the Lord grant us the grace to worship Him in truth and spirit. Amen

  26. Carmela U. Ekwem says

    Amen! & Amen. Thanks and God bless you Fr.. May God grant us the grace to worship him with sincere heart and not like the Pharisees (hypocrites)

  27. Ibeawuchi Monica says

    Amen

  28. Ikeoha Joy Chidiogo says

    Amen.

  29. Ezeagu Anuli says

    Amen 🙏 🙏

  30. Blessing Anne says

    Dear God, help me by your grace to give reverence to you to always not because of what I stand to gain but for the love of thee. Amen

  31. Ugwu Grace Ngozi says

    Amen

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