September 1, 2024: Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: 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 these evils come from within and they defile.”

Reflection

As I reflected on this Gospel the obvious question for me to answer was, “Am I, too, a hypocrite?” It’s easy to point a finger at the Pharisees and some scribes. However, I am reminded of the saying: “Whenever you point a finger at someone, remember there are three fingers on your hand pointing to you!” Jesus lists quite a few evils that come from within. Before I glossed over the whole list ‘as way beyond me,’ I paused on the very first one, “evil thoughts.” “Evil” is a strong descriptor, so I looked for synonyms and found 138 of them! I most identified with “unloving” or “negative.” Now unloving andnegative thoughts I DO have, and more times than I want to admit. This Gospel challenges me to consider: Do I take Jesus’ words seriously?

Is my heart far from Christ? Do I give God only lip service?

Action

Spend time this week reflecting on your positive responses to those Gospel questions. Journal examples of the times you did take Jesus’ words seriously, when your heart felt one with Christ’s heart; when you acted on Jesus’ words.