Mark 7:1-13

Genesis 1:20-2:4a

Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Mark 7:1-13

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 went on to say,

“How well you have set aside the commandment of God

in order to uphold your tradition!

For Moses said,

Honor your father and your mother,

and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.

Yet you say,

‘If someone says to father or mother,

“Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’

(meaning, dedicated to God),

you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.

You nullify the word of God

in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.

And you do many such things.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I pray that I do not nullify your word by choosing what is merely human and temporal over what is truly divine and eternal. Fill me with your grace so that I may do your will and follow your commandments, especially the commandment of love.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Pharisees and Their Traditions: In the Gospel, we see that the plot of the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem against Jesus continues to take shape. They opposed Jesus from the beginning of his ministry and accused him of blasphemy and associating with sinners. They said that Jesus’ mighty works were diabolical and not divine. Here, they accuse Jesus’ disciples of religious laxity. The Pharisees, who advocated strict observance of the Law of Moses and total separation from the Gentiles, saw that Jesus’ disciples did not wash their hands before eating. Here, Mark takes the time to explain the Jewish practice for his Gentile readers. While the Law of Moses did have rules for the priests to wash their hands and feet before offering a sacrifice and eating their share of the sacrifice, there was no obligation for the people to do so before every meal. This obligation was an oral tradition developed by the Pharisees and extended to every Jewish meal to make it a religious act and expression of Jewish identity.

2. Human Traditions vs. Divine Commandments: Jesus’ responds to the question of the Pharisees and scribes about why his disciples do not follow the tradition of the elders by calling them hypocrites and invoking a prophecy from Isaiah 29:13 that applies to them. In its original context, the prophecy reprimanded Jerusalem for consulting its political leaders while rejecting the prophets. “Because their leaders routinely exclude the Lord from foreign policy decisions and rely instead on their own wisdom, their worship of the Lord has become empty and vain. No longer, says Isaiah, will Yahweh tolerate their lip service when their hearts are devoid of living faith. The Pharisees have fallen into the same trap of rejecting God’s wisdom in favor of their own (Matthew 23:23; Colossians 2:20-23). As a result, their venerated traditions are empty and in dangerous competition with God’s will as revealed in the gospel” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Old and New Testament, 1800).

3. The Creation of God’s Image and Likeness: The First Reading continues the first account of creation in Genesis. On the fifth day of creation, God filled the realm of the sky with birds and winged creatures and that of the sea with fish and sea creatures. On the sixth day of creation, God filled the earth with animals, and, at the pinnacle of the visible creation, God created human beings in his image and likeness. Human beings are blessed by God and commanded to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, subdue the earth, and share in God’s dominion over the other creatures that fill the three realms: the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the beasts of the earth. Human beings are not given free license to abuse creation and exploit it as tyrants, but are called to harness creation’s potential for good and use their creative abilities to manage the earth’s resources for the building of human civilization. Human beings are empowered to be the stewards of God’s creation, not its owner or master (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Old and New Testament, 59). As the created images and likenesses of God, men and women are God’s children, granted royal authority, and endowed with the sanctity of life. The seventh day, which unlike the first six days knows no end, is set aside by God as a holy day of rest. This means that the days of human work are ultimately ordered to worship and eternal communion with God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the Image of God, the Word of God, and the Son of God. Help me to reflect God’s holiness each day as an image of God. Inspire me to be a prophet in this world and communicate the Gospel more perfectly. May I be more docile to the Father’s will as a child of God.

Living the Word of God: How am I living my calling as a child of God? Am I growing in knowledge and love of my Father? Am I walking with my brother, Jesus? Am I attentive to the promptings and inspirations of the Spirit?