A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
“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.”
In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks to the crowd and tells them: “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” Mark tells us that Jesus’ disciples later questioned him about this. He told them that everything that goes into us from the outside cannot defile but that what comes out of us, from our hearts, defiles. From the heart, Jesus says, come evil thoughts. God does not impose his will on his people but gives them the freedom and responsibility to choose between good and evil.
God, open my eyes to understand today’s Gospel reading. The list Jesus presents of the things that defile is not exhaustive; yet, the result for anything that defiles is the same: folly. The meaning of the word is similar to foolish and comes from an Old French word meaning “madness.” Help me, Lord, in the decisions I make throughout the day to remain sound of mind by choosing to do good and pure in spirit by asking for your grace.
Lord, thank you for the words you spoke in private to your disciples. Keep me in your care today with your word. As the Gospel acclamation says: “Your word, O Lord, is truth: consecrate us in the truth.”
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.