Jesus is the one who sees God.  Hence, he cannot but be the eldest among many brothers and sisters who are clean of heart.

Those God has chosen are not to add to what he commands or subtract from it.  Does not this make known that his commands must stay plain, clean, simple, for all to grasp and keep?

But be it as it may, faithful Jews have added such rituals as the washing of hands before eating and other washings.  And these have taken their place in the “tradition of the elders” that Pharisees, scribes and other Jews follow.  After all, tradition plays an important role in what it means to be a Jew.

So, the Pharisees and scribes, upset that Jesus’ disciples do not do what tradition wants them to do, ask him about it.  And he sticks up for his disciples and sticks it to those who find fault.  He tells them Is 29, 13 speaks of them and he says that human precepts are one thing and God’s commands another.  And he accuses them that they let go of God’s commands to hold on to their tradition.

He then says to the crowd that what stains is not what comes outside.  Rather, it is what comes out from within.  For from within them, from their hearts, come evil thoughts and so many other evils.  They all come from within and stain humans.  That is to say, it counts more to be clean of heart than to be clean on the outside.

Worship that is pure and clean in the sight of God

Mark, of course, did not write for the Jews but for those who were not Jews.  Or he would not have spelled out in some detail what Jewish rituals washings mean.  But then why take these up with those who do not have to do them?  Mk 7, 18, which is not part today’s gospel, seems to give the reason.  In this verse, Jesus tells his disciples, “Then do you also fail to get it?”

Yes, we, too, who say we follow Jesus, can end up worshiping God in vain.  We can focus too much on external observance that we lose sight of true worship.  Also, to be upset for missing to do some devotions might mean to forget that God is love (SV.EN I:80-81).

And we say that “love is above all rules” and that there is such thing as to “leave God for God” (SV.EN X:478; IX:252).  But are not these no more than empty catchphrases for us or just honoring God with our lips?  Is our worship pure and clean in the sight of God as we take care of those in need?  And also guard against greed in the world?  Do we set aside our pride and folly and let those who are poor show us what true worship is?  After all, it is theirs (SV.EN XI:190).

So, better we look at ourselves before we find fault with others and deem them not clean.  Before we take pride in playing God, knowing good and evil.

Lord Jesus, you know our hearts.  Wash them clean of all evils that stain us and grant that we live your Good News “without gloss,” without explaining away what you ask of us.  And let our sharing in your Supper always speak to us of your demands.  

1 September 2024
22nd Sunday in O.T. (B)
Dt 4, 1-2. 6-8; Jas 1, 17-18, 21b-22. 27; Mk 7, 1-8. 14-15. 21-23