A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 7:14-23)
Jesus said to the disciples: “But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”
Jesus tells the crowd and later explains to the disciples: “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” The list of evils that plagued people of his time are no less a threat to souls today, and external practices fail to remedy the cause. From within, from the heart, sin defiles; from within, Jesus heals. He recognizes the root cause and invites us to repentance, reconciling us to the Father. By naming evils, he calls us near for the salvation of souls, to preserve us for eternal life through the power of his grace.
God, help me reflect on my inclination toward sin and my need for redemption. Time after time, Jesus associated himself with sinners, inviting them to repent and follow him. The list of evils Jesus names could go on and on. As much an identification of human illnesses, listing sin by name demonstrates the endless permutations of sin that Christ can heal as the Divine Physician. Help me recognize that there is no sin that Christ is not aware of, that there is no sin that he cannot eradicate through his passion, death, and resurrection. God, help me turn to you with a contrite heart in the hope of eternal life; help me trust in your mercy.
From the responsorial psalm: “Commit to the LORD your way; trust in him, and he will act. He will make justice dawn for you like the light; bright as the noonday shall be your vindication. The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.