Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8
The book of Deuteronomy contains a lengthy farewell speech of Moses as the people prepared to enter the Promised Land. Moses makes it clear that they are expected to remain faithful to the Lord after they have settled in their new land.
James 1:17-18, 21-22,27
Today and for the next four Sundays we will read passages from the letter of James. Two points will be helpful background to today's passage. First: In the Jewish law, the first fruits of the harvest belong to God. Second: In the Old Testament, widows and orphans were classic examples of poor and defenseless people.
Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23
Bishop Untener's Homily
That's quite a list we hear at the end of today's Gospel passage. 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. 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 helps us in the day-to-day living out of our lives. Basic principles that get to the heart of the matter are more helpful.
For example, a concert pianist can't think individually of all the 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 whatever the way they knew how to make it.
So, in living a good 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." That is the key.
The Jewish laws about being "clean" (that's what the word "kosher" means) were meant to remind them that they were God's people - chosen, 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.
Now the purpose of all this was to remind them that they were to act differently. But some of them got so wrapped up in the detailed rituals of cleansing themselves that they forgot the purpose of it all. And, of course, as sometimes happens, the religious leaders multiplied the rules on how you were supposed to cleanse yourself and it all got very complicated. I suppose it's something like going through all the complicated details of filling out an income tax form, 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 non-kosher food that comes into them, and think more about the non-kosher thoughts and actions that come out of them.
You and I 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 two 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 much so that they affect everything that comes out of us.
First, the cross. The cross is our logo, our trademark, 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." The cross means that we respond to evil with goodness. We overcome evil by enveloping it with goodness. Do I really believe that? Am I up to that? Which leads to the second great truth.
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." (John 14:23)
"Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: `Rivers of living water will flow from within them.'"
(John then adds a footnote.) He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. (John 7:37-38)
We have God within us, and it is the goodness of God that is 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." We are meant to continue the work of Jesus to make all things new, to bring about the salvation of others, the whole world. 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 am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in them will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing."
At the beginning of this homily I said 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 is a beautiful way to live. You and I, daughters and sons of God, are called to nothing less.
Originally given on September 3, 2000