Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”
He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
“Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?”
He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit.”
Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.The jewish leaders had a crazy amount of laws regarding cleanliness. But all of the laws related to defilement. Meaning something from the outside of the body touching your body and would defile it. Be it blood, or feces, or another sick person. If you came in contact with these things, and many others, you suddenly became unclean. Jesus clearly did not believe this.
Cleanliness is obviously important for avoiding disease, but to be truly unclean (in God’s eyes) you must be defiled, on the inside. If you think disgusting things, if you pursue evil ends, if you say terrible things, that is what makes you truly unclean. And the only way to wash away these defilements is to seek gods forgiveness, and thus change yourself from the inside out.
This is why Jesus always said to the sick and unclean people that came to Him for healing, that their sins are forgiven. He always tended to the state of their soul, and the disposition of their heart first, and only after they were healed and cleaned on the inside did He then tend to their physical ailments. It is still the same today, and we must go to confession to get forgiveness, before we can partake of the eucharist, and its life-giving sustenance. God wants to heal your heart and then your body comes next. Go to him and find his healing love.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Oh lord, help us today to see our faults, and to seek the healing love of your promise. For to be clean in your sight is more important than anything is this world.