MY daily reflection and prayer:
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, `This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.”
And he called the people to him again, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him.” For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
FROM the Gospel today we learn about something important for us in managing our mind and heart. For Jesus, a clean mind and heart is more important than clean hands.
Jesus teaches us that the source of evil desires comes from inside a person’s innermost being. It first springs from the innermost recesses of our thoughts and intentions.
So he wants us that we do not allow our hearts and minds to be clouded by our own notions of what is true religion as being done by the Scribes and Pharisees. They abandon God’s word by substituting their own arguments and ingenious interpretations for what God requires. They honor God with their lips but their hearts are far from away God.
Based on the Gospel today, we learn to allow God’s word to shape our hearts and intentions. Let God’s word change our way of thinking, minds and hearts. So, let not our hearts be far away from choosing and doing the will God. Let Jesus Christ be the master of our minds, hearts and desires.
Jesus Christ is ever ready to change and purify our minds and hearts through your Holy Spirit who dwells within us. His power and grace enables us to choose what is good and to reject what is evil.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist, we worship Jesus Christ who can free our minds and hearts from sin and guilt. He himself can restore us to wholeness of life and goodness. We ask for his forgiveness and he will clean our minds and hearts. St. John writes, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus be the master of our minds ans hearts. Grant us the Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness. Only you can change our minds and hearts and make them clean and whole through the power of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
