THE WORD
1 Kgs 8,22-23.27-30 / Mk 7,1-13
Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles.
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.’
“You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition. He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’ Yet you say, ‘If a person says to father or mother, any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”
IN OTHER WORDS
One interesting tradition here in Timor-Leste is how people bury their dead. After the funeral mass, they have long speeches and rituals that make some priests feel distressed. When the dead is already buried and when people are already gathered at the house, a wash basin is normally prepared at the center for people to wash their hands/any part of their bodies. This washing symbolizes purification. It’s about driving away of evil spirits and that death may spare them. Then, food is served just like a barrio fiesta in the Philippines. On one occasion, there was no spoon to use nor water to wash our hands before eating. My companions just shook their hands and started eating. And, I followed suit.
Reflecting on our gospel today, I look back on that experience of eating with unclean hands as would have been a violation of the Mosaic Law as observed by the Pharisees. Their religious custom regarding hygiene was truly honorable and commendable. But considering unwashed hands, cups, jugs, kettles used for eating as impurity of heart, or moral deflement or as violation of the revealed Commandment of God, are only forms of prejudices levied on by human ingenuity. They invalidated three important values: purity of the heart, authenticity of worship, and truthfulness in doctrinal teaching (Jesus quoting Isaiah’s prophecy). Jesus further explained that upholding traditional precepts and practices to the point of disregarding God’s revealed Law was hypocrisy.
For example, the fourth commandment: “Honor your father/mother” is always true. It will never be reverted because parents are supposed to hold the place of God. Parents are naturally endowed with power to take care and teach their children. Thus, children are born to give honor to their parents. Whatever the cause of “donating money/property/ gifts to the Temple doesn’t exempt children from the obligation of honouring their parents. Jesus precisely denounced the abuse of this corban” (see Scott Hanh and Curtis Mitch, Commentary on the Gospel of Mark) for it nullifies the Word of God in favor of a selfish tradition.
Our hearts are always larger than our lips! ‘More heart-fullness less lip-service’.
- Fr. Jay Baliao, SVD | Timor Leste
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
