Sunday Reflections | 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Times
By SIDTP SoCom
Published on September 1, 2024
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.
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, such as the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus, “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.”
Jesus 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.”
In the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus confronting the Pharisees and scribes who are worried because His disciples are eating without washing their hands, as required by Jewish traditions. These traditions were important to the Pharisees, who believed that strict rituals kept them spiritually pure.
Jesus responds by challenging this focus on outward cleanliness. He quotes the prophet Isaiah, saying, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Jesus is pointing out that what really matters is not just following rituals but having a heart that is close to God.
He explains that what truly defiles a person is not what they eat or touch but what comes from within their heart. “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person, but the things that come out from within are what defile.” Jesus lists various sins like evil thoughts, theft, murder, and deceit, showing that these are the real sources of impurity.
This teaching invites us to look beyond external practices and focus on our inner life. It’s important to check if we are more concerned with following religious rules than with having a heart that loves and follows God genuinely.
To live out this teaching, we should examine our own lives and ensure that our actions are not just about appearances but reflect a pure and loving heart. This means striving to align our inner thoughts and attitudes with God’s will.
In essence, Jesus calls us to seek true purity from within. By doing so, we honor God not only through our actions but through a heart transformed by His love.
