Download 22B Mak 7 The Heart of the Matter

22nd Sunday – September 2, 2012 – The Heart of the Matter Eng & Span
Deut 4:1-2, 6-8; Jas 1:17-22, 27 & Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8. Moses said to the people: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am
teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the LORD,
the God of your fathers, is giving you. In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin upon you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it. Observe them
carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all
these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’ For what great nation is there
that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? Or what great nation
has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”
James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27. Dearest brothers and sisters: All good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. He
willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Humbly
welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not
hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care
for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23. When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered
around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition
of the elders. 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. 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?” 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; in vain do
they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to
human tradition.” 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.”
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of
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That's quite a list we hear at the end of today's Gospel passage. 1 Mark wanted to give
specific examples of the kinds of unclean things that come from inside of us. Long lists like that
have their place, but they aren't the sort of thing that usually helps us in our day-to-day lives.
Basic principles that get to the heart of the matter are more helpful.
For example, a concert pianist doesn’t think of the individual notes they're playing - an E
flat; an F sharp. Rather, they have the whole piece in their heart, and they play it.
The same is true of the way our mothers and grandmothers cooked. They didn't worry
about every detail of the recipe. They simply made the pie or the lasagna the way they knew how
to make it.
1
See Mark 7:23. The "catalogue-device" was common in the literature of that time, and this specific list was
probably put together by Mark, rather than coming directly from the lips of Jesus.
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22nd Sunday – September 2, 2012 – The Heart of the Matter Eng & Span
Deut 4:1-2, 6-8; Jas 1:17-22, 27 & Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
So, in living a good life – a holy life, what is the heart of the matter? What is the simple,
uncomplicated principle that underlies it all? Jesus gives us that quite clearly: Nothing that enters
one from outside can defile the person. But the things that come out from within are what defile.2
That’s a key insight from our Lord.
The Jewish laws about being "clean"; that's what the word "kosher" means, were meant to
remind them that they were God's people - . . . they were chosen, . . . they were set apart. So,
when they went into the marketplace and mixed with all sorts of people, and perhaps touched
food that had been offered to pagan gods, they "purified" themselves when they came home. This
reminded them that they were God's people - . . . chosen, . . . set apart. The purpose was to
remind them that they were to act differently, but some got so wrapped up in the detailed rituals
that they forgot the purpose. And, as sometimes happens, the religious leaders multiplied the
rules on how to cleanse yourself until it became very complicated. I suppose it's something like
going through all the details of filling out income tax forms, and we forget that we're doing this
because we love our country.
Jesus gets to the heart of it and reminds them that they should worry less about the
unkosher food that comes into them, . . . and think more about the unkosher thoughts and
actions that come out of them.
We can take a cue from this and ask ourselves the simple question: What comes out of
me. . . out of my heart . . . my mind . . . my mouth . . . my actions? Is it goodness?
Or is it something not so good.
It's that simple.
And at times, . . . it's that difficult.
We have to keep several thoughts in mind. There are two great truths we believe, and
they're at the heart of our faith. We have to keep reminding ourselves of these truths, and believe
in them so that they affect everything that comes out of us.
First, the cross. The cross is our logo and it’s meant to characterize the Christian life.
Jesus put it very clearly: If anyone wishes to come after me they must deny themselves, take up
their cross daily, and follow me.3 The cross means that we respond to evil with goodness. We
overcome evil by enveloping it with kindness and integrity of heart. Do I really believe that?
Which leads to the second great truth.
2
3
Mark 7:15
Mark 8:34
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22nd Sunday – September 2, 2012 – The Heart of the Matter Eng & Span
Deut 4:1-2, 6-8; Jas 1:17-22, 27 & Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
God is within us. Again, Jesus put it very clearly, especially in John's Gospel: Whoever
loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make
our dwelling with them.4 and Whoever believes in me, rivers of living water will flow from within
them.5
We have God within us, and it’s the goodness of God that’s meant to flow from inside us.
That gives new meaning to the words we heard in today's Gospel: Hear me, all of you, and
understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile the person. But the things that come
out from within are what defile.6 We’re meant to continue the work of Jesus to make all things
new. How do we do that? By letting the goodness of God flow out like a river of living water
even in the face of evil. Are we up to that? Well, not on our own. But the Lord's presence within
us makes it possible. I began by saying that long lists aren't always helpful, but basic principles
that get to the heart of the matter do help. This is the heart of the matter: In all circumstances
let God's goodness, and only God's goodness, come out of you. It’s a beautiful way to live – it’s a
holy way to live. You and I are called to nothing less.
¡Que interesante lista encontramos hoy en el Evangelio de Marcos! Jesús nos da ejemplos
concretos del tipo de cosas que salen de nosotros y nos hacen impuros. Las listas son importantes
pero no siempre nos ayudan en nuestro vivir de cada día. Los principios básicos son mucho más
importantes. Por ejemplo, un pianista cuando está tocando no piensa por separado en cada nota o
sonido, sino que más bien tiene la pieza musical completa en su corazón. Lo mismo ocurre con
nuestras madres y abuelas cuando están cocinando. Ellas no se preocupan por cada detalle de la
receta, simplemente hacen los tamales o preparan el chile de la forma como ellas lo saben hacer.
De la misma forma, para vivir una buena vida, ¿cuál es el punto central? Jesús nos lo
explica muy claramente: Nada que entre de fuera puede manchar al hombre; lo que sí lo mancha
es lo que sale de dentro.7 Esto es lo más importante.
Las leyes judías sobre la limpieza tenían como objetivo recordarle al pueblo que ellos
habían sido escogidos y apartados por Dios. De hecho, cuando ellos iban al mercado, se
mezclaban con personas de otras religiones, posiblemente tocaban alimentos ofrecidos a los
dioses paganos, al regresar a la casa tenían que "purificarse".
4
John 14:23
John 7:37-38
6
Mark 7:14-17
7
Mark 7:15
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22nd Sunday – September 2, 2012 – The Heart of the Matter Eng & Span
Deut 4:1-2, 6-8; Jas 1:17-22, 27 & Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
De esta forma recordaban que tenían que actuar diferente. Para algunos los rituales
detallados de limpiarse se volvían tan importantes que olvidaban el propósito de todo. Como
algunas veces sucede, los líderes religiosos aumentaron las reglas sobre cómo se suponía que se
debían purificar y cada vez las cosas se volvieron más complicadas. Yo supongo que esto se
volvió tan complicado como sucede con nosotros al llenar los formularios de impuesto. A veces
se nos olvida que esto lo hacemos porque amamos a nuestro país.
Jesús llega al corazón de esto y les recuerda que ellos deben preocuparse no tanto por la
impureza de la comida que entra en ellos, sino más por los pensamientos impuros y por las malas
acciones que salen del corazón.
Por consiguiente, nosotros podemos hacernos la simple pregunta: ¿Qué sale de mí, de mi
corazón, de mi mente, de mi boca, de mis acciones? ¿Bondad? ¿O algo no tan bueno?
Eso es tan simple. Y a veces. . . es difícil.
Hay dos grandes verdades que nosotros creemos, y que están en el corazón de nuestra fe.
Nosotros tenemos que recordarnos estas verdades, y permíteles que totalmente influyan en
nuestra vida.
Primero, . . . la cruz. La cruz es nuestro símbolo, nuestra insignia. La cruz simboliza el
mismo corazón de la vida cristiana. Jesús lo estableció muy claramente: Si alguno quiere venir
detrás de mí que se niegue a sí mismo, tome su cruz, y sígame.8 La cruz significa que
respondemos al mal con la bondad. ¿Yo realmente creo en eso? ¿Yo puedo hacer eso? Esto lleva
a la segunda gran verdad.
La segunda verdad . . . es que Dios está dentro de nosotros. De nuevo, Jesús lo afirma
claramente sobre todo en el Evangelio de Juan: Quienquiera me ame guardará mi palabra, y mi
Padre lo amará, y vendremos a él y haremos nuestra morada en él. 9
Nosotros tenemos a Dios dentro de nosotros, y es la bondad de Dios que debe fluir dentro
de nosotros. Eso da el nuevo significado a las palabras que nosotros oímos en el Evangelio de
hoy:
10
Óigame, todos ustedes, y entiendan. Nada externo que entra en uno lo puede manchar.
Las cosas que salen de dentro son las que puede manchar al ser humano. Nosotros queremos
decir que para continuar el trabajo de Jesús es necesario hacer todas las cosas nuevas. ¿Cómo
8
Mark 8:34
Juan 14:23
10
Mark 7:14-17
9
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22nd Sunday – September 2, 2012 – The Heart of the Matter Eng & Span
Deut 4:1-2, 6-8; Jas 1:17-22, 27 & Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
hacemos eso? permitiendo que la bondad de Dios fluya como un río de agua viva. . . incluso ante
el mal.
¿Nosotros podemos hacer eso? Bien, no solos, sino que la presencia del Señor dentro de
nosotros lo hace posible. Yo soy la vid, ustedes son los sarmientos. Todo el que permanece en mí
y yo en él da mucha fruta, porque sin mí no pueden hacer nada.11
Yo empecé diciendo que las listas largas no son lo mejor, lo importante es llegar al
corazón del asunto. Éste es el corazón del asunto: En todas las circunstancias permitamos que la
bondad de Dios y sólo la bondad de Dios, salga de nosotros. Es una manera maravillosa y santa
de vivir. Ustedes y yo, somos llamados a nada menos que ser hijos e hijas de Dios.
11
John 15:5
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