The Catholic Calendar
and Daily Meditation
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Jerome Emiliani
St. Josephine Bakhita, virgin
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
http://new.usccb.org/bible/readings/020812.cfm
1 Kings 10:1-10
Psalm 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40
Mark 7:14-23
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
Some people are overly-concerned with eating "clean" food, meaning organic, unprocessed, natural foods. While there is nothing wrong with this, today's Gospel stresses the "inner person," meaning our hearts and our motives, rather than our physical bodies alone. Jesus tells us, "Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person, but the things that come out from within are what defile."
What comes out from within you? What is in your heart? For instance, if unkind words come out of your mouth, do they come from bitterness in your heart toward someone? Jesus says that from a person's heart can come "evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile." (Mark 7: 21-23)
One of the best parts of our Catholic Faith - one too seldom used - is the old-fashioned "Examination of Conscience" before confession. It is a time to search our hearts. Then we proceed to "clean out" that garbage from our hearts before it spills out into sinful behavior. We do this by first asking the Holy Spirit to help us see what in us does not please God, then confessing it and receiving forgiveness through absolution by a priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Nothing beats that "clean brand-new-start" feeling when we walk out of the confessional. You are cleansed of your sins by the Blood of Jesus, and get to begin anew again! If it's been a while since you've experienced that "spiritually-scrubbed squeaky-clean" feeling, make an appointment with God - first to search your heart, and then clean it out for a fresh start.
::: Mary Nadeau | email: marynadeau(at)verizon(dot)net