Homily for Vespers - Fourth Wednesday of Lent

2023-3-15 Vespers – Fourth Wednesday of Lent 

Exodus 20:12-24     Matthew 15:1-20

 

We have two examples of good intentions going astray because of the pervasiveness of sin. The first is the Pharisees teaching on the washing of hands before eating.  The second is making a vow to God to fulfill sacrificial financial giving. 

 

In 2023, when we hear of the Pharisees efforts to enforce a habit of handwashing, we automatically think of hygiene for the sake of physical health. However, personal hygiene to prevent bacteria and other challenges for our physical health is not the agenda for the Pharisees.  Their agenda is that the entire Jewish population become ritually and spiritually clean.  They want what is mandated for the priests in the temple to extend outward to every Jewish household.  In Exodus 30:17-21, God gives clear instructions for washing of hands and feet for the priests serving in the temple.  The washing of hands and feet help to ensure that they are ritually, spiritually, clean as they offer the sacrifices to God.

 

The Pharisees argue that Jewish men ought to move this practice beyond the temple into their own homes.  As all food is a gift of God and involves a sacrifice of some kind, then all men ought to wash their hands before eating. 

 

I do not think that this is necessarily a troublesome practice.  What is wrong though, is taking what is a practice that originates with men, not God, and elevating it to the level of the Holy Word of God.  The Pharisees advocate for this practice, it has become a tradition, a practice that is accepted by a large group of devout Jews, therefore it must be of God.  The Pharisees speak of this practice as if it is the very Word of God.  A further issue develops in that participation in the act of washing one’s hands before eating is a sign of holiness, a sign of being ritually pure before God and men. A man who regularly washes his hands before eating, places his trust in the rituals. He easily thinks, “I am good before God because I practice this habit.” 

 

Without anyone intending it, the crooked human heart, has turned a good practice into an act of salvation. It became an idol that one holds onto instead of engaging in that which is truly needful: repentance for sins and faith in God for a declaration that your sins are forgiven.  

 

The second issue that presents itself comes from the same group of good-hearted, well-intentioned men.  A vow made to God that the faithful will make a sacrificial gift of his finances for God’s work.  This is a vow of good intentions that serves to strengthen the treasury of the temple for its ongoing work.  Not a bad thing in itself, except that the men who encourage this vow have forgotten that God considers the care of one’s parents to be God’s work.  It is the responsibility of the younger to take care of the older. God says so in the fourth commandment: Honor your Father and Mother. 

 

To give money for the work of the temple to the exclusion of your family responsibilities is nothing less than a sin.  It demonstrates an egregious misunderstanding of the role of God’s commands in the life of the faithful.  It also demonstrates an egregious and sinful misunderstanding of the son’s responsibility to his parents.

 

The devotion to fulfilling the vow to make a sacrificial, financial, money offering to the exclusion of obedience to the 4^th commandment is also an idol.  It is an idol of one’s self-importance.  The individual humbly acknowledges that his heroic sacrifice and action pleases God and is an outward expression of his holiness before God.  Sadly, the Pharisee has missed the point.  The Scriptures clearly teach that what God most earnestly desires is a repentant person who responds to the grace of God’s forgiveness by living out the commands of God.  

 

Despite the intentions of the Pharisees as they pursue a life that is directed by their love for God, they do not take into account the pervasiveness of sin.  They do not yet understand that every good intention will be misaligned by our original sin.  We cannot trust in ourselves to become holy.  All the rules, all the commands, that we make up to show our love for God, will ultimately fail.  It will become a show that pleases only ourselves.  

 

Only Jesus has what it takes to fully account for our sin.  Jesus is the God-Man. His obedience to our heavenly Father and his sacrifice on the cross will fully address the pervasiveness of our sin.  He enters unto the agony of the cross in complete faith of the Father and the Holy Spirit.  He places his life and death completely in the hands of God. His death on the cross is the final and complete sacrifice.  

 

We receive the proclamation of Jesus’ death and resurrection through faith. We have faith that Jesus is our Savior.  We do not, we cannot, save ourselves.  We do not, we cannot, make ourselves holy before God.  Jesus saves us through his sacrifice on the cross.  On account of Christ Jesus, our heavenly Father looks upon us and declares us forgiven.  Forgiveness is conferred upon us.  This is good news as it frees us to live out God’s commands.  We are free to love and serve God, and to honor our parents and love and serve all the rest of our neighbors.  

 

The corruption of sin is too great for us to do anything about.  God is the only one more powerful that our pervasive sin.  Only God can save us. We cannot save ourselves. Thanks be to God that Jesus his died for us so that we can live. 

 

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.