First Reading - Dt 4:1-2.6-8
Moses said to the people:
“Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am
teaching you to observe, that
you may live, and may enter
in and take possession of the
land which the Lord, the God
of your fathers, is giving you.
In your observance of the commandments of the Lord, your
God, which I enjoin upon you,
you shall not add to what I
command you, nor subtract
from it.
Observe them carefully,
for thus will you give evidence
of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will
hear of all these statutes and
say, ‘This great nation is truly
a wise and intelligent people.’
For what great nation is there
that has gods so close to it as
the Lord, our God, is to us
whenever we call upon him?
Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as
just as this whole law which I
am setting before you today?”
Responsorial Psalm - Ps 15
R –The one who does justice
will live in the presence of
the Lord!
* Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks
the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue. R.
* Who harms not his fellow
man, nor takes up a reproach
against his neighbor; by whom
the reprobate is despised, while
he honors those who fear the
Lord. R.
* Who lends not his money
at usury and accepts no bribe
against the innocent. Whoever
does these things shall never be
disturbed. R.
Second Reading - Jas 1:17-18.
21-22.27
Dearest brothers and sisters:
All good giving and every
perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of
lights, with whom there is no
alteration or shadow caused
by change. He willed to give us
birth by the word of truth, that
we may be a kind of first-fruits
of his creatures.
Humbly welcome the word
that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls. Be
doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before our God and Father
is this: to care for orphans and
widows in their affliction and to
keep oneself unstained by the
world.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia! Alleluia!
The Father willed to give
us birth by the word of
truth, that we may be a
kind of first-fruits of his
creatures.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Gospel - Mk 7:1-8.14-15.21-23
When the Pharisees with
some scribes who had come
from Jerusalem gathered
around Jesus, they observed
that some of his disciples ate
their meals with unclean, that
is, unwashed, hands.
The Pharisees and, in fact,
all Jews, do not eat without
carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the
elders. And on coming from
the marketplace they do not eat
without purifying themselves.
And there are many other
things that they have traditionally observed, such as the
purifi cation of cups and jugs
and kettles and beds.
So the Pharisees and
scribes questioned Jesus, “Why
do your disciples not follow the
tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean
hands? ”He responded, “Well
did Isaiah prophesy about you,
hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors me
with their lips, but their hearts
are far from me. In vain do
they worship me, teaching as
doctrines human precepts.’
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human
tradition.”
Jesus summoned the crowd
again and said to them, “Hear
me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from
outside can defile that person,
but the things that come out
from within are what defile.
From within people, from their
hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy,
arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”
