Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 7, 1-8, 14-15, 21-23
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 summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.
“From within people, from their hearts,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All thes evils come from within and they defile.”
Do not let your heart be defile
1. Human precepts. How hard Jesus is! But it’s true. We get so busy with external things, like whether our hands should be together, this way not that way, that we forget about other important things. As Christians, you and I know that we have wearied others by being like sort of policemen and reducing Christian faith to rites, norms and positions. We have lost the freshness of faith and even the beauty of encountering Christ, to the point that some feel it is a burden to go to the parish church or to come together in the community. Today Jesus reminds us again that many people have added precepts and norms to what was given from God. Don’t forget that norms are a means to an end and not an end in themselves.
2. Clinging. Today I’d like to ask you what your relationship with God is like and what it is determined by. What are you clinging to today, to mere fulfillment or to the essence of your faith which is Christ? The key here is your personal dialogue with him, what motivates you and moves you towards eternity. But don’t let human and institutional issues be a spoke in the wheel in your relationship with the Lord, or you work or function within the Church.
3. Your heart. Jesus reminds you that the key to work on in your Christian life is your inner self, your heart, your walk towards Truth, your personal relationship with God, your encounter with Jesus that transforms everything and moves you deeply. Remember that in your relationship and intimate dialogue with God you discover the potential to live with Christ and to fall more deeply in love with him. Come on, fill your heart with Christ to satiate this world with him. Don’t let human precepts lead you to suffocate your encounter with the living Christ.
Never forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
