Gospel: September 1, 2024
(Sunday)
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 15: 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 (1a)
The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
1st Reading: Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-8
2nd Reading: James 1: 17-18, 21b-22, 27
Gospel: Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23
One day, the Pharisees gathered around Jesus and with them were some teachers of the Law who had just come from Jerusalem.
They noticed that some of his disciples were eating their meal with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. Now the Pharisees, and in fact, all the Jews, never eat without washing their hands for they follow the tradition received from their ancestors. Nor do they eat anything when they come from the market without first washing themselves. And there are many other traditions they observe, for example, the ritual washing of cups, pots and plates.
So, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders, but eat with unclean hands?”
Jesus answered, “You, shallow people! How well Isaiah prophesied of you when he wrote: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless, for what they teach are only human rules. You even put aside the commandment of God to hold fast to human tradition.”
Jesus then called the people to him again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and try to understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can make that person unclean. It is what comes out from within that makes him unclean.
For evil designs come out of the heart: theft, murder, adultery, jealousy, greed, maliciousness, deceit, indecency, slander, pride and folly. All these evil things come from within and make a person unclean.”
Lectio Divina:
Read: The Pharisees and some teachers of the law gathered around Jesus. They observed that Jesus’ disciples were eating with unclean hands. The Pharisees, being Jews, would not eat without first washing their hands. Upon observing that Jesus’ disciples were eating with unclean hands, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law questioned why Jesus’ disciples were not following the tradition of the elders. Jesus answered them by quoting the prophet Isaiah on false worship, exposing their shallow understanding of God’s commandments. It is not what enters a person that makes him/her unclean. What makes a person unclean are the things that come out of him/her.
Reflect: Yesterday we reflected on the challenge of not wasting our talents. There are times when we are tempted to waste whatever God has given us. Moreover, there are also times when we are misled to use them for self-serving purposes. Our talents are useless if we do not use them well to serve others. Everything starts from within us, from having a heart that truly cares. In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were focusing on the external things because evil desires had already resided in their hearts. Jesus calls us to purity of heart. If our intentions are pure, the good use of our God-given talents will naturally follow.
Pray: Let us pray that we may have pure hearts.
Act: Let us do a more serious examination of conscience and then let go of any ungodly desires. Afterward, let us do one concrete good act using our God-given talents.
