The climate of controversy is taken up again here by Mark, who highlights the issue of human traditions in conflict with the will of God.

 

The climate of controversy is taken up again here by Mark, who highlights the issue of human traditions in conflict with the will of God. Pharisees and scribes approached Jesus in order to put him in an uncomfortable situation in front of his disciples, since none of them followed the traditions invented by the ancient men of Israel regarding how to behave socially at the table or while preparing for it. For these Pharisees and scribes, purely social tradition had divine approval, so that no one should act contrary to it, which would result in penalties.

2. In fact, the issue of hygiene is very important. Care for physical health should be praised and encouraged. The big problem is when physical aspects take precedence over faith; when the value of appearance becomes an obsession, assuming the status of divine law. This creates hypocrites, flatterers, false prophets, exploiters of dignity, OWNERS of faith and morality, falsifiers of truth, and, why not, new “divine” legislators, marginalizers of God. 3. Mark does not want to say that Jesus and his disciples are unhygienic; that is not the case. His objective is to show what is essential for the new life of human beings, for the formation of disciples and of the entire Church. The Word of God, not the tradition of men, must come first. While the prophets announced the purity of the Word, many others took away its strength and meaning. The Word of God leads human beings to a true inner transformation, to a profound change of life, to the annulment of self in view of the fulfillment of God’s will. When human tradition is absolutized, it despises the Law of God. Here, “human tradition” should not be confused with the Tradition of the Church, which is the very Word of God, oral and written, given for the salvation of the world. 4. The formation of Jesus’ disciples is essentially based on the Word of God. Human traditions must be placed at the service of God’s Law and shaped by it, and not the other way around, so that each disciple, wherever he or she may be, can perceive what in the traditions contributes to communion with God and what separates them from Him. This is true for the evangelizing mission. Disciples encounter diverse traditions in the most varied cultures. What must prevail is not culture, but the Word of God, which will illuminate the culture encountered. The disciple will not destroy culture, but will lead it, in the light of the Word of God, to its true meaning. Those who choose to follow Jesus Christ do not become disciples of cultures, but of the Word of God, not of the wisdom precepts worshipped by humanity. 5. The first important thing is to listen to the Word of God in Jesus Christ. People must not listen to any voice, follow any teaching, or allow themselves to be guided by any teacher. Only in Jesus can the people of God find the Truth of the Father, the salvation promised by God. Through Jesus, the people of God discover the authentic meaning of God's Law and the fragility of human traditions, which often only hinder the knowledge of God. The second thing is the knowledge of this same Word, which is precisely what will guide the entire life of those who place themselves before God. And finally, putting this Word into practice, in order to make God known and capable of being loved. 6. Jesus shows that nothing that enters a human being makes him impure. Impurity is within the person. There are people with hands clean from the dirt of everyday life, but stained with innocent blood. Well, it is from within the person that the misfortunes come that prevent him from being happier, more human, more of a brother, more faithful to God. Jesus therefore declares all foods clean and condemns the Jewish thesis of impure foods. Man must have a true encounter with Christ in order to discover the will of the Father in order to live according to what truly dignifies humanity. And this will of God will not be fulfilled by the hypocritical leaders of Israel, criticized by Jesus, but by those who become disciples of the Son of God. To do this, man needs to shape his life according to the teachings of Jesus, listen to Him, know Him and act in His way. His journey towards perfection begins, therefore, in the encounter with Christ, in listening to His Word, in the experience of a life of service to those most in need, especially those in need of salvation. Jesus invites each one to live the beatitudes and to works of mercy, to flee from the appeals of the world and its charms and to be totally focused on God. A big and affectionate hug.