Sunday, 8/30/15
In today’s Gospel the
Pharisees accused the disciples of breaking the rules of kosher. These rules
were originally given to the Israelites for health reasons. The Old Testament
in Leviticus Eleven forbade them the eating of pork or shellfish. There was no refrigeration back
then, and God wanted to protect the people from food poisoning, and Jesus went
along with that.
However, when five
hundred years before his time, the Scribes began adding other harmless foods to
the list of what was kosher (appropriate), Jesus protected the right of people
to eat harmless foods when they were hungry.
He said, “Nothing
that enters one from outside can defile a person; but the things that come out
from within are what defile.” He said that it is from our hearts that come
“evil thoughts, theft, greed, malice, deceit.”
We can combine that
thought with what Jesus says to us in Chapter Three of the Book of Revelations:
“I stand at the door and knock. If anyone should hear my voice and open the
door, I will come in and dine with him.”
That makes you think that if you keep your heart free from evil
thoughts, Christ will come in and stay with you. It will be a private chapel
where you can meet with him at all times.
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