He summoned the crowd again and said to 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. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within, and they defile."
(Mark 7: 14-15, 21- 23)
 

Mark 7: 1-8, 14- 15, 21-23

The problem with the Pharisees and scribes was that they had become focused on the externals of faithfulness and should have examined their hearts and efforts to live faithfully. They used ritual purity to exclude people when they should have been using it to express the holiness of God and deepen their relation to God. Jesus tells them that the heart is more important than the traditional purity rituals.

The heart is the centre of human will, rationality, desire, and where all our intentions come from. Defilement is deep within the human heart. Defilement is more about who we are than the food we prepare or eat. 

Jesus mentions fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. He says all these evil things come out of man's heart, and because they come from within, they defile a person. Being faithful to religious observances does not mean we are closer to God, nor does it guarantee that.

Examine your heart today and ask the Lord to draw you closer.

Reflections by Morongoa Selepe

Loving Lord,
Thank you for examining and knowing our hearts, 

testing them, and understanding our concerns. 

Help us stay on the right path and be our guiding light 

on the road to eternity. 

Amen.

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