Far Away Hearts

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.’ He answered them, ‘And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.” But you say that whoever tells father or mother, “Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God”, then that person need not honor the father. So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.” ’ Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, ‘Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.’ Then the disciples approached and said to him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees took offence when they heard what you said?’ He answered, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’ Then he said, ‘Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.’ Matthew 15:1-20

We humans are easily distracted and diverted. We can mean well, and try hard, and find ourselves far away from where we want to be. We can be swayed by popular speakers, celebrities, fad diets and the like, only to find ourselves crying out in pain and isolation. We get caught up in rules and forget to love God and our neighbor. Yet Jesus knew that all of the "right" living would not make us close to God. We are called to live with hearts full of love and compassion rather than deceit hidden in "right" living.

Compassionate Creator, you know our hearts

tender like a parent you invite us to learn

your ways of love, forgiveness and mercy

your good road of service and humility.

We hide behind rules and regulations

proud of our ability to live the "right" way

yet we fail to see the suffering around us

and fail to make our hearts tender and kind.

Help us, dear Lord, to renew our hearts

make us people who live to serve others

give us your heart of compassion and grace

so that your love might flow in our needy world. Amen.