When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
“Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”
He responded,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,
as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
In vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”
He went on to say,
“How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
‘If someone says to father or mother,
“Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things.” Mk 7:1-13
Jesus hits a heart string today. Is your heart truly set on God and His ways or worldly and selfish things that make gains for ourselves. This is the daily battle. Glory to God for all you have and all you accomplish or glory to self because I worked hard and I deserve it. We also have to be careful when we worship God. Our religion gives us an avenue to God and the heart of the religion is a daily relationship with Jesus. We must talk to Him. Tell Him how your day is going. Visit Him at Mass, in a church, or the Adoration chapel. See Him in each person we come in contact with. Compassion, heart, mercy, joy, hope, love this is the heart of Jesus and the heart we must seek to be like Christ. Stop worrying about the things on the outside, the intention of your heart is most important. It is where God dwells and directs you to Truth.
Today’s challenge: Reflect on the intention of your heart. How much do you pay attention to the outside of yourself and others compared to the inside?
Total Consecration: Day 31
Become a saint!
Christian YOLO
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