Wednesday 9 February 2022

Today is Wednesday the 9th of February, in the fifth week of Ordinary time.
The community of Taizé sing 'Toi, tu nous aimes'. "You love us, Lord, source of life." As I listen, I remind myself that I am in the presence of God right now, that God is looking on me now with love.

Today's reading is from the Gospel of Mark.
Mark 7:14-23
Then he called the crowd again and said to them, 'Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.' When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. He said to them, 'Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?' (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, 'It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.'

Today, Jesus uses a parable to teach on the complex subject of purity laws. His words are very challenging, for keeping such laws revealed God's people as being different to everyone else, so threatening them was risky.
In which ways are you different because you believe in Jesus Christ? Are you at risk today because of this belief?

How do you understand the parable that Jesus explains to his disciples once inside the house? Have you experienced actions coming out of your heart, that have laid bare your motivations within it? Bring these actions to Jesus who forgives.

As you hear the reading again, notice the evil intentions, that Jesus speaks of, as coming out from the human heart.

You may like to spend time reading the news online or print. See what is coming out of human hearts today, both good and bad, and pray for those being defiled in the world today.


Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.