By the Faithful Disciple
GROW AS A DISCIPLE
Traditions are so important to us! They help define and preserve our heritage and our communities while also offering comfort and stability. They shape our human world as we see and live it. But in today’s Gospel, Jesus scolds the Pharisees and scribes for allowing “the tradition of the elders” to drive them to hypocrisy: “In vain do they worship [the Lord], teaching as doctrines human precepts.” He accuses them, saying “You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” How could this be? Were the laws of ritual purity not important? They were, insofar as they were observed for the right reason: glorifying and honoring God and being mindful of their covenantal relationship. We know, historically, that those who had questioned Jesus, leading to his response, were interested more in legalities, religious control, pride, and power. There was little “love for their neighbor” and a fair amount of “love for themselves.” Therefore, Jesus is instructive when he tells them, “Nothing that enters one from the outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” In other words: Ritual actions don’t make us pure; the purity or impurity of our heart is what matters.
GO EVANGELIZE
What does it mean to be pure or impure of heart? Intentions matter; motivations matter. Jesus, quoting Isaiah, tells the Pharisees and scribes that they are honoring him with their lips but not their hearts; in other words, they were paying him “lip-service.” “Oh, those Pharisees!” we might say. They are easy to criticize and pontificate upon, aren’t they? But how about us? It is worth looking at ourselves and honestly asking whether there might be times when we, too, are simply offering lip service to God? Are we truly offering him our hearts when we engage in our traditions and our activities? Our goal, as Jesus’ disciples, is to be “doers of the word and not hearers only,” as James puts it so succinctly in his letter. We are to hear God’s word and commandments and then act on them in love.
ACT
“From within people ” come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice…,” Jesus says. Pray specifically this week for the grace to see where God may want to purify your heart. Meditate on Psalm 51:10: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.