Tuesday February 6, 2024

Mark 7:1-13

Some Pharisees and Sadducees are upset with Jesus because they saw his disciples eating their food without properly washing their hands. Maybe the disciples had worked all day feeding the hungry and walking with those who need aid. Who knows how exhausted they were? Maybe this was their first meal in days. So they tore into the food without doing the customary 7 washes. For Jesus, the proper washing of hands is important because he is a good Jew but he can also cut some slack for his disciples. There are other more important things that he would lose sleep over.

Here is the lesson for me. Know your scripture? Know what is important to God and do it. If someone else wants to add extras, more power to them. The problem with religious fanatics is everything goes from zero to a hundred. Everything!! Religion which is supposed to be life giving all of a sudden becomes a burden. When that happens, we have missed the whole point. So,know what is at the heart of our faith and do that passionately. I Once said to a woman who was apologizing for missing Mass because she went to visit her dying mother. I said, He saw you and was with you beside that hosparus bed. Being with her mother on this particular day was more important than the Sunday obligation.