The Fellowship of St. Columbanus

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 St. Mk. 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 It is difficult to know where to begin talking about this week's Gospel lesson. Five years ago, at a much earlier stage in my conversion, I wrote at some length on how Christ treats the Law of Moses, and I substantially stand by what I have written there. I hope you will take the time to read that more thorough commentary on how Christ applies Moses. In fact, what I would really like to say much more briefly here is said better in my old article. Moses with the Ten Commandments Rembrandt Suffice it to say for the moment that commentators are mislead when they claim simply that Christ "abrogates" the Law. If that were the whole tale, then He could not appeal to the Law in his own defense in verses 8-9. Rather, Christ criticizes an approach to the Law which emphasizes form over substance. This is a refrain which goes back to the prophets. Amos writes in astonishing verse, "Though you give me grain offerings