In the Gospel of St. Mark 7:14-23, Jesus, giving continuity to his teachings, shows to his disciples and the people that which is essential to become holy.

Many Jews and Pharisees, the majority in the time of Jesus, were rigorous in living and completing the exterior practice of the law: washing hands various times before eating, completing appropriate rituals for cleaning each object, concerning oneself with food considered impure, in case hypothetically some was eaten. All this reveals a great concern with the exterior, with that which appears and that which one sees. But Jesus is going deeper, In other words, He is inviting them to discern their true motives.

How is your heart? How are the intentions within? Because, “But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” (Mk 7:20-23 NAB)

Therefore, the most important is to concern oneself with that which our heart produces. God is calling us to a conversion of heart, if our interior may be truly moved, if one is touched by grace, our road will be pure and holy and only that which is good will come from our interior. Our good attitudes will be the result of a converted heart.

Do not fear confronting your life with this Word, have courage of permitting that the light of God illuminates the darkness of your inside and that it will become illuminated.

But of the exortation of Jesus, also we see a true marvel; it is the heart of the man that brings forth good actions, these good actions, that which is beautiful, the true fruits of the Spirit. And for speaking of this, one see in the heart of what He spoke in Galatians in Chapter 5:22-23, the fruits that God wants to encounter in our heart and in our life.

May this Word Illumininate your day,

God Bless You,
Father Clovis

Translated from Portuguese

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.