From today’s reading...
When he had gone into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, ‘Even you -- don’t you understand? Can’t you see that nothing that goes into someone from outside can make that person unclean, because it goes not into the heart but into the stomach and passes into the sewer?’” Mark 7: 17-19
In John 6:6, Jesus doesn’t take the time to clarify what He meant when He said, “For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink,” because everyone understood what He meant and He was fine with the result: “After this, many of his disciples went away and accompanied him no more.” (John 6:66)
Today, Jesus does take time to clarify the meaning of His parable because He does not want us confused and wasting time majoring in the minors.
He doesn’t want us worrying about bacon or wine or if our hands are washed up to our elbows before we eat because it’s our hearts that matter, not our stomachs.
It’s what comes out of our mouths that matter, not what goes into them.
It’s our souls that matter, not our sewers.
So eat bacon with dirty hands, or don’t eat bacon and wash thoroughly before preparing your precise meals.
It’s all good, as long as your heart is good, and striving to keep a clean heart is the only way to...
Stay the course.
Keep the faith.
Endure.
Now go sell something.