Honor god with your hearts, not your lips!

Today is the 22nd Sunday in ordinary time... but we do have an extraordinary Gospel reading for this Sunday and you will find it in Mark 7:1-8,14-15 and in 21-23 called The Tradition of the Elders.

"When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, 2 they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. 3 For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. 4 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]. 5 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?" 6 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; 7 In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. 8 You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."

'14 He summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. 15 Nothing that enters one from the outside can defile that person: but the things that come out from within are what defile. 21 From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly, 23 All these evils come from within and they defile."

Now that's a mouthful of teaching from our Lord Jesus Christ and we believe in his teachings because he is truth personified. In these passages, he chastised the Pharisees and scribes, which was also the reading last Wednesday on Matt.27-28 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. 28 Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing."

What our Lord Jesus Christ denounced 2,000 years ago against the scribes and Pharisees or the Jews, as a whole is true even today. Jews do not eat any kind of food unless it is Kosher food. While most of us do wash our hands before we eat, it is not because of any religious ritual or observance... rather it is because it promotes healthy living. But the Jews do it as part of their religious tradition. Healthy living is merely a coincidence.

The reason why the Lord denounced the scribes and Pharisees stems from the fact that they were practicing hypocrisy. They believe that if the Jews followed their human precepts or traditions, it would be pleasing to God. But in the end, as the Lord said, they appear righteous, but inside, they are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

Whenever I go to Cempark and drive at the far end of the cemetery where you can see the most beautiful tombs, built in the most expensive materials that look more like mansions than tombs... I always appreciate the beautiful fine work that was spent to build these monuments to the dead. However, my mind always wonders... on what the family of the dead person has done or spent for the salvation of the soul of their dearly departed? This is exactly what our Lord Jesus Christ meant when he told the scribes and Pharisees, "You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth."

This is where humility comes as a very important virtue. Take the case of the funeral of one of the greatest men who ever lived in the 21st Century, the Great Pope John Paul II. His public funeral was watched by billions of televiewers worldwide, thanks to satellite television. Practically all the world's leaders went to Rome to pay homage to a man they all respected even if they were not Catholics. But the Pope's remains were placed in the simplest of wooden coffins. In her funeral, Mother Teresa was also placed in a humble coffin. Indeed, those who humble themselves shall be exalted!

Very plainly, our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us, "Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come from within are what defile." Yes, if you eat something even with unclean hands, the worse that can happen to you is get an upset stomach. But it will not defile your soul. But all evil things often come from within our hearts, like envy, greed, blasphemy, deceit, malice, adultery, unchastity, theft or murder.

It is often said that guns or knives do not kill, but the sharp tongue does. While our Lord denounced the scribes and Pharisees in his time... I dare say that the Lord's message is true to our modern day scribes and Pharisees... I'm referring to the many pastors, priests and bishops who are the hypocrites of today. While they are not many, let us pray for these men of the cloth that they would have a change of heart and honor God not only through their lips, but with their hearts as well... so they too can be saved!

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For e-mail responses to this article, write to [email protected]. Bobit's columns can also be accessed at www.shootinginsidecebu.blogspot.com