31/08/2024
Gospel Reading for
September 1, 2024
Today’s Gospel reading comes from Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23.
• Verses 1-8:
The Pharisees and scribes focus on external rituals, and Jesus calls out their hypocrisy, emphasizing that their worship is in vain when they prioritize human traditions over God’s commandments.
• Verses 14-15:
Jesus teaches the crowd that what defiles a person is not what enters from the outside, but what comes from within.
• Verses 21-23:
He lists various sins that come from within a person’s heart—evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly.
Reflect:
This teaching encourages believers to focus on inner purity and the transformation of the heart, rather than merely adhering to external traditions .