22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the readings tell us about the impurities of the world and following the law of God. How are the two related? In Deuteronomy (4:1-8) Moses warns the People that to demonstrate wisdom and inherit the Promised Land they must strictly follow God's law. Being close to God and following his laws distinguished them from other nations. James (1:17-18, 21-22, 27) tells us that good deeds and perfect gifts come from God and that He never changes, and is always attentive to those who maintain pure faith.
Jesus in Mark (7:1-8, 14-23) gives us a great lesson. He answers the Pharisees that it is not necessary to wash one's hands to purify what is consumed, since the impurity is inside. "Nothing that comes from outside can stain a man," he tells them. And then he gives them a list of everything that already exists in the heart of man: "evil intentions, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetousness, injustices, frauds, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, frivolity. ALL these evils come out from within and stain the man."
Everything that Jesus mentions that lives in the heart of man is what God asks us not to do in the 10 Commandments. However, Jesus' greatest commandment was always, "Love God above all things, and your neighbor as yourself." Jesus presents us with a mirror so that we can see in our reflection the times we have failed to love our neighbor and have chosen to satisfy our own impulses.
If we receive communion, but we know that after Mass we are going to give someone a bad face, or speak ill of someone, or give free rein to human impulses and outbursts, then where is the love that we keep for God? In our hearts there cannot be room for an evil thought and for God at the same time. That's where you see the hypocrisy; the same one that Jesus points out to the Pharisees. We cannot pretend to be Christian people and insult our neighbors. God's love manifests and is reflected in ourselves. Let us not allow our hearts to adopt practices that do not demonstrate our desire to be like Jesus. Blessed week to all and a beautiful MONTH OF ABUNDANCE every day of September.
Prayer: Father of the Universe, You deserve Glory for all your majesty and your omnipotence. I beg you to remove from my heart all evil, all negative thoughts, all anxiety and all pain. I ask that You be the one who lives there and is reflected minute by minute with my behavior with others. May I see you in each brother and sister of mine regardless of their conditions. May your Spirit wash my heart of every evil so that my faith can be pure to trust You fully like Mary. Through Christ Jesus, AMEN.