Daily Prayers

Prayer is Love, I want to Love

Jesus Explains What Defiles A Person

Jesus’ Life: Chapter 8 – Jesus’ Ministry In Galilee (Part 3)

What qualities would you like to see in your best friends? How about openness and honesty? Then they could tell you all your faults, in great detail. Would you like that?

Hmm… perhaps not in every little detail, I hear you say; everyone still wants to feel good about themselves and be encouraged to achieve their best!

Sign: Qualities

Jesus didn’t hide his feelings about the Pharisees. He openly criticised them for their hypocrisy in neglecting God’s command while sticking to old traditions such as the ceremonial washing of hands before meals.

Jesus called a crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What defiles a person (makes him unclean) is not what goes into the mouth; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person”.

When Simon Peter asked what He meant by this Jesus explained, “Whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach… But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander”.

He added, “These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defile a person”. (Matthew 15:10-20, Mark 7:1-23, Luke 11:37-41)

Thought

So, how can we suppress evil ideas? Here are two suggestions:

  1. Develop a strong personal sense of all that is evil – perhaps, judge your thoughts against what you wouldn’t want others to do to you.
  2. Seek the help of the Holy Spirit through prayer.

Remember, live a life of love. God and our friends look inside our heart, not outside at our portrait.

Reflection

Lord Jesus, thank you for your love and mercy. Grant me the grace to worship you with a heart of love, humility and honesty. This I ask through your Blessed Mother Mary. Amen.

Prayer: My Heart (Dag Hammarsjold)

Give me a pure heart, that I may see you
A humble heart, that I may hear you
A heart of love, that I may serve you
A heart of faith, – that I may abide in you