"It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
Gospel of Mark
In the above passage from the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is expressing a timeless principle with which we are all familiar. It is not what one eats or how one eats that defiles a person: It is what comes from within, from the heart, that determines whether one is pure or impure. And we know that Jesus makes this statement in response to the attitudes of the Scribes and Pharisees who criticize Jesus for not following their traditional rites of purification - eating without washing first, concern over washing cups, pots and bronze dishes.
It is interesting that Mark sandwiches this controversial passage between six of Jesus' miracles. Before it, we have the feeding of the multitude, His walking on the water, and healing of the villagers; and after it we have the healing of the Canaanite child, the cure of the deaf-mute, and the second feeding of the multitude.
This passage is not meant as a criticism of following good hygiene practices. It is still important to wash dishes and encourage our children to wash their hands before meals. We also know that families are rooted in certain traditional practices that are meaningful for us to celebrate, such as birthdays, Christmas, etc. The church also follows common traditional norms that unite us as a community of faith. What Jesus is saying is that when it comes to what God desires for our healing, wholeness and well-being, these external gestures have little significance.
Can you imagine going to reconciliation to confess that you have failed to wash your hands two times before eating last week. What God is looking for, and what we mostly need for healing and wholeness is an inner transformation, a change of heart.
Within each of us, there lies a treasure. This treasure is given many names; spirit, soul, true-self, inner-self; and it is from this inner source that the fruits of the Spirit radiate. Unfortunately, this treasure is often hidden from us and others, or covered over with the many things that hinder the Grace of the Spirit from shining through. These are the things that defile our true-selves. These are the things that cover-up our true identity as children of God. When we discover our true-selves, we are filled with joy, and we enter into a life of wholeness and well-being. We become one with God.
The way to God is not through rigidly following certain customs and practices, but by surrendering to the power of the Spirit within, to move away from our attachments, so that the Spirit of Christ may shine through. It is through Grace, a gift from God, that this happen.
Do you believe in the power of God's love to heal, change, and transform your hearts and minds?
It is not what we eat or how we eat that defiles a person. It is what comes from inside the depths of the person that makes one pure or impure.
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