justify constant violation of the Seventh Commandment of the Decalogue! A
lie is a lie…always!”
Bishop Zurek, although you keep a letter posted on the diocesan website stating that I constantly violate the commandment against lying, and although you ignore my request to address a memorial erected by a convicted pedophile priest in honor of a bishop whom you yourself said made a “serious mistake,” will you nonetheless cover Father Tony’s 7 AM Mass at your own Cathedral with the intention being a miracle for my son Daniel through the intercession of the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen on this Friday, February 14 as the rest of the world celebrates the #tradition of Valentines Day❓
Gospel
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
“Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”
He responded,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,
as it is written:This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”
He went on to say,
“How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
‘If someone says to father or mother,
“Any support you might have had from me is qorban”‘
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things.”
Lectio Divina Reflection on “tradition“
The weight of tradition can be a blessing when it guides us toward truth, yet a burden when it is wielded to dismiss those who challenge the status quo. I struggle with the reality that Bishop Zurek keeps a letter posted on the diocesan website labeling me a liar, dismissing my words without considering the depth of my concern. If tradition is meant to uphold justice and truth, how can it be used instead to silence those who speak out against abuse❓ Then I wonder, is tradition serving righteousness, or is it simply a tool of convenience❓
Tradition tells me to honor those who have gone before me, but what happens when that tradition refuses to reckon with its own failures❓ The memorial erected by a convicted pedophile priest in honor of a bishop who made a “serious mistake” remains untouched, as though the weight of tradition excuses its presence. Yet, tradition should not serve as a veil that covers past sins—it should call me to repentance and renewal. Is it truly tradition that keeps this monument standing, or is it a refusal to confront the truth❓
of the conciliar Magisterium.”
There is a sacred tradition of the Church that calls for priests to serve the faithful, bringing the Eucharist to those who hunger for Christ. Yet, when Father Tony must be away, there seems to be no urgency to uphold that tradition by ensuring the Mass continues. I am not asking for a favor but for a fulfillment of duty, a respect for the tradition that has sustained the Church for centuries. If tradition truly matters, should it not compel a shepherd to ensure the flock is fed❓
The tradition of intercessory prayer is one of the most beautiful gifts we have. It is with this in mind that I ask Bishop Zurek to celebrate the 7 AM Mass at his own Cathedral this Friday, February 14, with the intention being a miracle for my son Daniel through the intercession of the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen. If our faith in this tradition is real, then why should my request be ignored❓ Does tradition only matter when it is convenient, or does it call us to act in faith❓
So I ask, how can a Church that claims to uphold divine truth so easily disregard its own teachings when faced with uncomfortable realities❓ When tradition becomes an excuse rather than a guide, does it not betray its very purpose❓ In other words, Can I be silent if…
“‘You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition…'”❓
I will then consider some principles drawn from the Judaeo-Christian tradition which can render our commitment to the environment more coherent.
FROM PARAGRAPH 15 of ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME