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.”
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Reflection:
A domineering
husband was always critical of his wife, he would always create rules in their
house for her to follow. The humble and often verbally abused wife would always
follow but as years passed by she finally realized that she had enough. So she
decided to permanently walk away from her arrogant husband.
Many of the
Pharisees during Jesus time had that domineering attitude also, they were very
strict with observing their many traditions and rituals. For example the
washing of hands before eating meals, purifying oneself after going to the
marketplace and they have countless more: They wanted these all to be observed.
In the gospel the
Pharisees saw the followers of Jesus eating their meals without washing their
hands. They therefore questioned Him: "Why did they not wash their hands
first?" But as always Jesus knew about their motives, Jesus knew that they
were only good with the external observance of their traditions. But deep
inside them they were still the same arrogant and overbearing people who always
push their weight around.
The problem with
always being strict is it creates a division that may produce a permanent wedge amongst
individuals. Jesus knew about this
problem that's why he often times disregards the rules in favor of the welfare
of the people. For Jesus it is first and foremost the welfare of His people
before the observance of the traditions, it is first the interior cleansing
before the exterior observance of the rituals.
Strictness always
results to alienation, division and permanent separation while compassion and
understanding always results to love, healing and unity. Jesus would want us to
always be compassionate, to always be understanding and to always be kind
towards our fellowmen.
It's only through
these acts of love and gentleness that we could become effective vessels of His
teachings. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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