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Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A), Hosea 6:3-6 (Lectionary 088, June 5, 2005)

The prophetic career of Hosea unfolded in the northern kingdom of Israel 20 or 30 years before that kingdom's final destruction at the hands of the Assyrians in 721 B.C. When Hosea began to speak out for the Lord as prophet, the kingdom was enjoying a time of prosperity and plenty, at least for the upper levels of the society. This prosperity rested on the backs of the poor who were enslaved and oppressed. Although sacrifices were still offered to the Lord God and although ritual laws were still observed, the religious life of the people was mechanical and formalistic. They went through the motions of serving God, but their hearts weren't in it. In addition, the worship of other gods was common. Economically it was a good time. Religiously it was a disaster - a disaster that ultimately led to the destruction of the kingdom.

The basic message of Hosea is that God continues to love His people in spite of their faithlessness. Like a husband who lovingly takes back his unfaithful wife, God would continue to love and care for Israel, if only it would come back to Him in faithfulness. But the people continued to walk in their own self-seeking and idolatrous ways. At the end, no choice was left to God except punishment.

The reading chosen for this Sunday is in two parts. In the first part, we hear the voice of the people expressing a superficial and shallow repentance, looking for God's continued care and mercy, presuming that God would care for them and continue to send them blessings as certainly as the dawn brings light and springtime brings the rain.

In the second part of the reading, God responds. "What am I to do with you, northern kingdom. For that matter, what am I to do with my southern kingdom, Judah?" The people's devotion is as transitory as the morning dew. This is why God had found it necessary to rebuke them through the words of His prophets. At the end of the passage comes the general principle that God wants to teach His people: religious observance is only as good as the mind set it represents. Without love of God, without knowledge of God, sacrifice and ritual are meaningless.

The point that God is making is not that sacrifice and ritual are useless but that they are useless if they are not informed by love and knowledge of God. Ritual acts are intended to externalize the interior spirit of love and adoration. Without these interior attitudes, all the external observances are a sham.

This reading from Hosea was appointed to be read on this Sunday because it is quoted in the Gospel. To those who object to His contact with ritually unclean people (like Matthew), Jesus replies in the words that Hosea had put into the mouth of God: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." (This must have been a specially dear Scripture quote for Jesus, since He cites it again in Matthew 12:7, when His apostles are being blamed for not observing the fine points of the law.)

But Jesus' use of the quotation adds something to the original text of Hosea. As the Old Testament text is presented to us in the lectionary, is has to do with the Israelites' relationship with God. The love that is called for is love for God. As Jesus uses the text in this Sunday's Gospel reading (and later in chapter 12), it is concerned not with the people's love for God but with concern for our neighbor in his need, i.e., with mercy. Jesus has taken Hosea's words, modified them slightly and applied them to our relationship with our neighbor instead of to our relationship with God. The kind of attention that Hosea called to be given to God is directed by Jesus to our neighbor.

There are many implications to this switch of direction. It seems to suggest that we can only offer authentic love to God when we are offering care and mercy to our neighbor in need. Jesus means to teach us that religious observance of any kind is not pleasing to God unless it is accompanied by concern for our neighbor. He also warns us that attention to religious ritual can lead us into a kind of unhealthy observance in which what is really important takes second place to superficial formalities.

Both Hosea and Jesus are talking about priorities. Neither discourages religious observance. But both remind us that sincerity of heart is more important than ritual exactness.

For reflection and discussion

How much of my religious life consists in observance of formalities?

What role does concern for my neighbor play in my faith life?



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	*Overtures* Reflection on the first readings of the Sunday liturgy By Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk God's love is faithful, eternal Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A), Hosea 6:3-6 (Lectionary 088, June 5, 2005) The prophetic career of Hosea unfolded in the northern kingdom of Israel 20 or 30 years before that kingdom's final destruction at the hands of the Assyrians in 721 B.C. When Hosea began to speak out for the Lord as prophet, the kingdom was enjoying a time of prosperity and plenty, at least for the upper levels of the society. This prosperity rested on the backs of the poor who were enslaved and oppressed. Although sacrifices were still offered to the Lord God and although ritual laws were still observed, the religious life of the people was mechanical and formalistic. They went through the motions of serving God, but their hearts weren't in it. In addition, the worship of other gods was common. Economically it was a good time. Religiously it was a disaster - a disaster that ultimately led to the destruction of the kingdom. The basic message of Hosea is that God continues to love His people in spite of their faithlessness. Like a husband who lovingly takes back his unfaithful wife, God would continue to love and care for Israel, if only it would come back to Him in faithfulness. But the people continued to walk in their own self-seeking and idolatrous ways. At the end, no choice was left to God except punishment. The reading chosen for this Sunday is in two parts. In the first part, we hear the voice of the people expressing a superficial and shallow repentance, looking for God's continued care and mercy, presuming that God would care for them and continue to send them blessings as certainly as the dawn brings light and springtime brings the rain. In the second part of the reading, God responds. "What am I to do with you, northern kingdom. For that matter, what am I to do with my southern kingdom, Judah?" The people's devotion is as transitory as the morning dew. This is why God had found it necessary to rebuke them through the words of His prophets. At the end of the passage comes the general principle that God wants to teach His people: religious observance is only as good as the mind set it represents. Without love of God, without knowledge of God, sacrifice and ritual are meaningless. The point that God is making is not that sacrifice and ritual are useless but that they are useless if they are not informed by love and knowledge of God. Ritual acts are intended to externalize the interior spirit of love and adoration. Without these interior attitudes, all the external observances are a sham. This reading from Hosea was appointed to be read on this Sunday because it is quoted in the Gospel. To those who object to His contact with ritually unclean people (like Matthew), Jesus replies in the words that Hosea had put into the mouth of God: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." (This must have been a specially dear Scripture quote for Jesus, since He cites it again in Matthew 12:7, when His apostles are being blamed for not observing the fine points of the law.) But Jesus' use of the quotation adds something to the original text of Hosea. As the Old Testament text is presented to us in the lectionary, is has to do with the Israelites' relationship with God. The love that is called for is love for God. As Jesus uses the text in this Sunday's Gospel reading (and later in chapter 12), it is concerned not with the people's love for God but with concern for our neighbor in his need, i.e., with mercy. Jesus has taken Hosea's words, modified them slightly and applied them to our relationship with our neighbor instead of to our relationship with God. The kind of attention that Hosea called to be given to God is directed by Jesus to our neighbor. There are many implications to this switch of direction. It seems to suggest that we can only offer authentic love to God when we are offering care and mercy to our neighbor in need. Jesus means to teach us that religious observance of any kind is not pleasing to God unless it is accompanied by concern for our neighbor. He also warns us that attention to religious ritual can lead us into a kind of unhealthy observance in which what is really important takes second place to superficial formalities. Both Hosea and Jesus are talking about priorities. Neither discourages religious observance. But both remind us that sincerity of heart is more important than ritual exactness. For reflection and discussion** How much of my religious life consists in observance of formalities? What role does concern for my neighbor play in my faith life?

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