August 29, 2021 – Pentecost +14B

“Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, ²they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. ³(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; ⁴and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) ⁵So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” ⁶He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
⁷in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’

⁸You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition. Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.” ²¹For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, ²²adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. ²³All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”” Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

When people go to great lengths to “appear” holy — I can’t help but allow my suspicions to arise. Why must someone go to such lengths to make me think they are “holy”?  Often, not always, but often it is an attempt to hide their own “dirt”. We see it again and again – someone who is so outspoken about adultery, or divorce is actually trying to hide their own infidelity.

On the surface, we could say this Gospel lesson is about “dirt”. But, can it be so simple?  Can we say this is just about washing dirty hands?

The last eighteen months of our lives has been filled with commercials, mandates and instructions about keeping clean. I have never ever, in my life seen so many people worry about washing their hands, keeping away from one another, rubbing elbows instead of shaking hands, and wearing masks – all in the name of staying away from a virus. But we have also seen how effective these good habits have worked in reducing the number of flu and cold cases – if not preventing exposure to Covid. When we truly devote ourselves to a practice, we soon see how effective and life-sustaining it can be.

My friends, Jesus is just as capable of loving us in spite of our “dirt” without our extensive attempts to cover that dirt. Jesus says “…there is nothing outside a person that….can defile…the things that “come out” are what defile.”  In other words, when we do something just for show, or when we pretend to be “Holy” but live our lives performing sin after sin after sin, then we have joined the long line of Pharisees that have come and gone throughout the years who wanted so much for people to think they were Holy.  Those who rely on these “Acts of Holiness” have no true understanding of G-d’s Grace.

Washing your hands may save your life from the dirt of bacteria or the ravages of a novo-virus — but it will not save you from the dirt of sin. That requires Jesus — His Grace that he offers through the Cross Saves Your Life.

Let us Pray,

Lord, create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with your free spirit. Amen. 

Pastor Dave