Reflection for February 12 Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:14-23

Gospel: Mark 7:14-23

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.” 

When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 

“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, 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:
The story is told of a married man who was caught by his wife having an adulterous relationship with his officemate. The wife told him, “I never thought that you would be capable of doing this to me because you promised me that you would be faithful until the end.”

Why is it that many of us commit sin and fail to live out our faith? When tempted by Satan, we easily give in. Why is this so? I don’t know. Perhaps it is due to our weak and superficial faith or because we love this world more than we love God.

Jesus, in the Gospel, mentions that nothing that enters us makes us sin, but what comes out of us does. Therefore, we must be careful and discerning about the things we do. If we believe that our actions may lead us to sin, then by all means, we should avoid them.

If there is a strong temptation to sin, we must confront and resist it; otherwise, it will capture us. The danger with sin is that it will never stop until it completely destroys us. For example, in the case of adultery, couples engaged in this sinful relationship will likely continue until they are caught and punished.

They indulge in this sin because Satan makes it appear more attractive in their eyes. Under Satan’s spell, they continue without guilt of conscience—the same Satan whose hidden and ultimate desire is to destroy them.

Come to think of it—why is it that, even when we know something is sinful, many of us still do it? The simple answer is that many choose to embrace Satan rather than Jesus. Many gamble their very lives with Satan instead of investing them with Jesus.

When you choose to be with Satan, you will be destroyed sooner or later. However, when you turn away from sin and surrender to Jesus, He will tirelessly work within you, to transform your heart and free you from the grip of sin.  —Marino J. Dasmarinas