The Rite Stuff

On Wednesday night, Fr. Ted read a hard passage from Isaiah. At first glance, it appeared to be saying that all religious festivals and rites are wrong. This troubled me. But, Fr. Ted explained it in his homily. God was calling them hypocrites, through the writer. They paid so much attention to the rites and the law, but neglected the poor and didn't show mercy to others. It gives me comfort that Jesus was circumcised, went to the festival of shelters, was baptized, taught in the temple, participated in wedding festivals, prayed, spent time in the temple even as a child, had a passion for the temple and drove out the money lenders, gave thanks for the bread, spoke the scriptures out loud, recruited the religious leaders like Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and St. Paul, and celebrated the passover with his friends.