Gospel: Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14
Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do
your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands
when they eat a meal.” He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and
understand. It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man; but what
comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.” Then his disciples approached and
said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what
you said?” He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not
planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.
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Reflection:
Are we strict observers of our faith’s many traditions? Nothing is wrong
with this in fact this is very good. However, observing our faith’s tradition
becomes useless when we don’t live our faith. For example, the
teaching of Jesus about forgiveness, what is good with observing our faiths
tradition if we don’t forgive? Another example is the teaching of Jesus about
loving our enemies, what is good with strictly observing the tradition if we don’t
love our enemies?
Many Pharisees and scribes were so good at observing their many Jewish
traditions but when it comes to living their faith they were miserably very
deficient. The Pharisees and the scribes were very particular of the fake
exterior, the pretence. But Jesus is very particular on the pure interior, the
real us, the things that we do when nobody’s around to see.
Let us therefore do away with our exterior pretenses because this is not
good and it doesn’t please God. What pleases the Lord is our internal
conversion and renewal. What appears outside of us no matter how beautiful is
of no use to Him and the Lord is not impressed by it.
Are we very particular with our exterior appearance but very much deficient
when it comes to our internal renewal? –
Marino J, Dasmarinas
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