False Judgments

August 5: Tuesday of Week 18 of Ordinary Time, Year A-II:

Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Psalm 102:16-21, 29, 22-23; Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

Thoughts to help us surrender to Jesus expressing himself through us in ministry.

“Not what enters, but what comes out of the mouth defiles.” Matthew 15:11

Some Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”

Big deal. The same critics needed to “clean up their act” more than to wash their hands. Jesus said the filth that matters is in the heart: “evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.”

Later (chapter 23) he went into what corrupted the Pharisees’ hearts: keeping details and externals of the law, but neglecting “justice and mercy and faith.” Laying heavy burdens on the shoulders of others; loving places of honor at banquets and titles of respect: all we summarize as “legalism, clericalism and triumphalism.” They were blind to the distortion in their hearts.

Pope Francis condemns the “spiritual worldliness” of those who “trust only in their own powers and feel superior to others because they observe certain rules or remain intransigently faithful to a particular Catholic style from the past. A supposed soundness of doctrine or discipline leads instead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism. Instead of evangelizing, they evaluate and label others. Instead of opening the door to grace, they put all their energy into controlling... They are not really concerned about Jesus Christ or others” (Joy of the Gospel, 94).

Ministry is heart to heart.

PRAY: “Lord, show me my heart.”

PRACTICE: Look in more than out.