Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?

 

 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.  And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."  Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?  My hour has not yet come."  His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."  Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.  Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water."  And they filled them up to the brim.  And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast."  And they took it.  When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.  And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior.  You have kept the good wine until now!"  This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.  After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

 

- John 2:1-12 

 

In yesterday's reading, we were given the fourth day described in John's Gospel:  Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me."  Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."  And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"  Philip said to him, "Come and see."  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"  Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."  Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe?  You will see greater things than these."  And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

 

  On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.   As we have remarked in the commentaries this week, John's Gospel gives us the first week of Christ's ministry in interesting parallels to the creation story in Genesis.  The events described in today's reading occur on the sixth day given in John's Gospel, while the fifth is skipped.  The phrase on the third day, my study Bible explains, is an expression which means "two days later," as the current day is included in the calculation.  On this sixth day given to us occurs the wedding in Cana, paralleling the creation of man and woman in Genesis 1:26-31.  My study Bible points out also that in the Old Testament, marriage feasts symbolized the union of God with God's Bride, Israel.  Here Jesus begins His ministry at Galilee, which had a large Gentile population; the events described in today's reading are a sign of the spread of the Gospel to all the world.  That the wedding took place "on the third day" sets a resurrectional tone, my study Bible adds, showing that the marriage of God and God's Church will be filled in the Resurrection of Christ.  There are other parallels here between today's reading and the Resurrection account of John 20:1-18, in that both involve a woman named Mary who makes an appeal, and in both passages the disciples are invited to witness the event.  Moreover, my study Bible points out that the Resurrection account in John (specifically John 20:11-18) bears a great similarity to Song of Solomon 3:1-5, which again shows the unity between marriage and Christ's Resurrection.

And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."  Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?  My hour has not yet come."  His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."  My study Bible cites this as an example of Mary's gift of intercession.  It notes that even now, Mary continually speaks to her Son on our behalf, and is our preeminent intercessor before His Throne.  This is confirmed as Jesus grants her request here.  It notes also that wine is symbolic of life, and therefore there are two levels of meaning to Mary's statement, "They have no wine."   First, a marriage isn't complete without Christ's presence; second the old covenant was not able to bestow life even on the most faithful.  It's important also that we understand that Woman is a sacred title in Scripture, an address which conveys deep respect and admiration (John 4:21, 8:10, 19:26, 20:13; compare to Genesis 2:23).  It's important to remark upon Jesus' words here.  That which is rendered "What does your concern have to do with Me?" more literally reads, "What [is that to] Me and you?" in the Greek.  Jesus' answer isn't a refusal of Mary's intercession, but rather a declaration that the time had not yet come for Christ to be revealed.  There is an extremely significant parallel here to the Septuagint Old Testament, which is the version of the Old Testament quoted in the New Testament.  In the Septuagint, in 1 Kings 17:18, after her son dies following her help to Elijah, the widow Zarabeth says to him, "What have I to do with you, O man of God?" (NKJV).  But in the Greek, the phrase is precisely the same reply Jesus gives to Mary here:  "τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί."   Understood properly, this communication between Son to mother clearly implies He is preparing her for what is to come, asking her if she is ready for His public ministry to begin with this first sign which begins with her request here, and its inevitable outcome at the Cross and the death of her own Son.  Her response is to directly defer to Christ, telling the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."   Additionally, that Christ fulfills Mary's request teaches several things which my study Bible notes as follows:  First, that Christ is Lord over hours and seasons and is not subject to them.  Second, the wedding party needed to be aware of their lack of wine first so that they might learn that it is Christ who fulfills all needs.  Third, we need to have perseverance in our petitions before God (Matthew 15:21-28).  Finally, the intercessions of the righteous have great power (James 5:16). 

Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.  Waterpots were made of stone, my study Bible explains, because, according to rabbinical teaching, stone would not contract ritual impurity.  That there are six (one less than the perfect seven) indicates that the Law, which is illustrated by water being reserved for Jewish purification, was incomplete, imperfect, and unable to bestow life.  My study Bible says that the water changed into wine symbolizes the old covenant being fulfilled in the new, which is capable of bestowing life.  The overabundant gallons of wine illustrate the overflowing grace which Christ grants to all.  

Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water."  And they filled them up to the brim.  And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast."  And they took it.  When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.  And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior.  You have kept the good wine until now!"  My study Bible says that according to patristic commentary, this transformation prefigures the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. 

This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.  This beginning of signs is the first of seven signs performed by Jesus in John's Gospel.  My study Bible says that John uses the term "signs" in order to show that these miraculous actions point beyond themselves, to the truth that the Kingdom of God has come among us in the Person of Jesus Christ.  John again uses the word glory (as in John 1:14), referring both to His divine power shown by His signs and wonders and also to Christ's service to humankind, in both ways revealing He is the One sent by the Father.

 

After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.  This is the seventh day given in the Gospel, again paralleling the Genesis creation account.  Jesus rests at Capernaum with His mother, His brothers, and His disciples, as God rested on the seventh day in Genesis 2:1-3.

If we look closely at Jesus' remark to His mother, we see an extraordinary kind of understanding that appears to be between them.  The words in Greek literally read, "What Me and you?" ("τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί") but they are the quotation of the words of Zarabeth to Elijah in the version of the Old Testament available to Christ and His contemporaries, and the version of the Old Testament quoted in the New.  In the relationship of mother to Son, she will be the one who is hurt, a widow who loses her Son.  It is an indication to us that the Cross was understood long before this moment, long before it will come, and early in the lives of this mother and her Son about whom Gabriel prophesied to her.  In Luke's Gospel, we are also given a prophesy to Mary by Simeon when the baby Jesus was brought to the temple.  Luke writes, "Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, 'Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.'"  (See Luke 2:25-35.)  The sympathy between mother and Son is revealed through the Gospels, as she is present at the Cross.  This is made particularly clear in John's Gospel, as it is in this Gospel that John records Jesus' words on the Cross regarding His mother:  "Woman, behold your son!" (John 19:26).  Who else but John the Evangelist could write and know these words, into whose hands the care of Christ's mother was given?  That Mary was chosen out of all humankind to be the mother of Christ was always extraordinarily significant to our ancient Christian ancestors, and the significance of her intercession in this first sign of John's Gospel regarded as a sign of her own capacity for intercession for us.  There is an Orthodox prayer quoted in my study Bible, which declares, "The intercessions of a mother have great effect to win the favor of the Master."  Intercession is what we ask of fellow believers when we ask for their prayers; in the communion of saints (the "great cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 12:1) we understand God's grace enables their presence and hence prayers for us.   It is unfortunate that for a great many followers of Christ today, the importance of Mary seems to be disregarded.  But it should be clear that for any mother to be given such a place in salvation history would have required a person of extraordinary courage and faith and trustworthiness.   As we read in the Gospels, the early life of Christ was not an easy one, but one filled with danger and which required His parents to endure hardship and exile, and His mother the possible shame she would be willing to bear in silence (Matthew 1:19).  The story of Mary teaches us about the saintly, those whose faith enables them to endure and persist despite the discouragement the worldly would bring them.  Looking at Christ's beginnings, we might wonder how discouraged our faith would be when there was no room for His birth in Bethlehem (Luke 2:7), or when they had to flee the massacre of the innocents by Herod (Matthew 2:13-18).  The story of Christ is not possible without also the story of His mother Mary, and neither is the whole history of the Church possible without Mary's great presence in it, from the earliest centuries considered to be the greatest of the saints.  Uncountable numbers of the faithful have taken heart at her intercession and felt her presence in their lives; we can only guess at the hints in the Gospels about her character if we read between the lines of Christ's great sympathy, especially in His encounters with women and those among His discipleship.  We might ask from whom did Jesus' human persona develop, or under whose discerning and faithful eye, but perhaps these questions are simply unanswerable.  All we can do is look to the significance of this relationship recorded by John, the disciple who became her second son when Jesus was no longer in the world.  I recommend the prayers to Mary for intercession, the honor she's given so highly in the history of the Church, for the pain in the heart of this mother and her deep faith in her Son is such that many have found helpful for their own.

If the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch

Breughel, Peter the Elder, The Blind leading the Blind, 1568.  Museo di Capodimonte, Naples, Italy

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?   For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- then he need not honor his father or mother."  Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."  Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"  But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."  So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

- Matthew 15:1-20

On Saturday, we read that immediately after the feeding of the five thousand men (and more women and children besides) in the deserted place, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!"  And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  So He said, "Come."  And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."  When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?   For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- then he need not honor his father or mother."  Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:  'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"   The tradition of the elders refers to interpretations of the Law by Jewish teachers, traditions built up around the Law.  My study bible comments that Jesus refutes the views of the scribes and Pharisees that ritual purity depends on outward actions.  He responds to their charges against His disciples by going on the offensive, and showing the hypocrisy of those who criticize, for they themselves violate the commandments of God through the customs of the tradition built around the Law.  The example He gives is the command to honor one's father and mother (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16).  Jesus also names Exodus 21:17. In the tradition of the elders, there was a way to designate property as a gift to God, which one could use during one's lifetime, and at death would accrue to the temple.  Jesus criticizes the use of this practice to deny assistance to dependent elderly parents.  Christ's point is that the commandment of God cannot be superseded by religious tradition of human beings.  My study bible comments that devotion to God includes both obedience to God's commandments and also service to others; these two, in fact, cannot be separated (see also James 2:14-18, 1 John 4:7-21).  He quotes from Isaiah 29:13.

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."  Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"  But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."  So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."   Jesus teaches the disciples that the falsehoods of the Pharisees will not stand forever, and they need not openly oppose them.  Their own blind leadership will condemn them to eventual failure.  Purity, Jesus declares to His disciples, depends not on outward actions, but rather the inward state of the heart.

 Jesus teaches the disciples regarding the Pharisees:  "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."   This is a statement that conveys a great deal of faith in the foundations of God at work in the world:  the blind and those who follow them will eventually "fall into a ditch."  It is a statement of faith in truth (John 8:32, 18:37-38).   False teachings will lead into error and failure.  It is frequently hard to listen to the blind in our world.  In all kinds of circumstances, we may be tempted to rush in and correct or fix what we perceive to be a problem.  False teachings, false leadership, blind people who would call themselves leaders, exist everywhere.  This is true, of course, not only for religious matters.  But Jesus' confidence is clear:  have faith that the blindness one sees around oneself will lead to eventual failure.  The implication is that our main focus is to remain true to the teachings we know to be good and worthy, to do the things we are taught to do, and to live as we are taught to live.   Such direction is implied also in the context of the rest of Jesus' comments in today's reading, that His concern is with the state of the heart, as this inner condition leads to outward behavior -- and that this must be the focus of concern for purity.   Therefore, in two ways, today's reading gives us the importance of the focus on ourselves and what we are doing, rather than what everybody else might be doing.  Our work on our own heart is sufficient.  There are all kinds of ways in which we need to pay attention to our own business -- and let the blind lead the blind into a ditch.  The difficulties (or we should say, near-impossibility) of changing others are well-known.  Therefore, we pay attention to the things we know are good and true, and focus on living our own lives in discipleship to Christ as best we can.   This is such important advice to heed when we find ourselves in circumstances in which we might see a dead-end ahead for others, but a wise person knows they are not going to listen to reason.  Even in cases in which we have loved ones headed for a fall, it is frequently more wise to allow them to follow their own advice and learn from experience, rather than trying to prevent a mistake by some sort of force or coercion.  Even for the Pharisees, there is hope after falling into a ditch!   Perhaps it is the failure itself that is the only medicine that will turn a person toward a true desire to find a correct path, a true way.  Let us note, also, that the false teachings do not take anything away from truth.  The truth remains; it still stands.  In the meantime, the disciples find themselves criticized by the authorities of the religious establishment, but Jesus counsels patience and discipleship.  How often might we wish for such wise counsel to rule in our own hearts?  We cannot fix nor control everything and everyone.  Let us pay attention to Jesus' wise words, and allow ourselves to understand that our "work" is simply good discipleship, to pay attention to the state of our own hearts, to live through love of God and love of neighbor.  That should occupy us with enough to be concerned about!

They are blind leaders of the blind

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,

And honor Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me

And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

- Matthew 15:1-20

In yesterday's reading, after feeding five thousand men (and yet more women and children), Jesus withdrew again and went up to a mountaintop to pray. Before He did, He told His disciples to set sail for the other side of the Sea of Galilee. While they were rowing hard against blowing winds and waves, about three o'clock in the morning, He appeared to them walking on the water. The already frightened disciples believe they have seen a ghost! But Jesus says to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Peter said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."Jesus told Him, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." They arrived at Gennesaret, where all brought their sick to Him, trying even to simply touch the hem of His garment. All who did so were healed.

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." The religious leadership is speaking to Jesus about a specific tradition of ceremonial washing. My study bible points out that the tradition of the elders refers to interpretations of Mosaic Law by Jewish teachers. Here, the topic is ritual purity.

He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition." After return from Babylonian exile, for various important reasons, temple worship and ritual practices associated with tradition became highly systematized and emphasized. But here Christ focuses back in on the spirit of the Law, the word of God to Moses. Here, He quotes from the first of the Ten Commandments. Referring to a temple tradition, He cites the ability of people to devote possessions to the temple as a kind of gift or promise upon their deaths. Thereby, they could continue to use such possessions during their lifetimes. But for some, this mechanism is something we might compare to a "tax dodge" in our own times, but rather more serious. Elderly parents were dependent upon children; there was no other system of social welfare. Written into Mosaic Law is a constant theme of community, through right relationship. Jesus gives an example of those who simply do not want to truly share in relationship, thereby evading a commandment of community given through Moses as the word of God. In this way, the "tradition of men" is usurping the highest priority that should be given to the word of God.

"Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' " Here is a lesson for us all, for every day, for all of us in our churches and denominations. Where is the true understanding of God? Moreover, we develop traditions, interpretations, practices in the name of our religion. But are they always used to bring us to the right focus, on the word of God in our hearts? Let us remember, the subject began as one of ritual purity. Christ has emphasized the purity of the heart already, in the Beatitudes, when He taught: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Here, this teaching is perfectly expressed. In these verses, we get a picture of the consistency of the word of God, from Old Testament prophecy to the teachings of Jesus. In teaching about the purity of heart, we also recall His scathing words regarding hypocrisy in religious practice. Once more, the emphasis is on the heart.

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." Here is a good understanding for our present day, when all sorts of theories and practices are offered seemingly from one person to another in the name of Christ, or the name of God. We remember His parables, and how He taught that good and evil live side by side, especially in the parable of the Wheat and the Tares. Jesus now illuminates this teaching in practice, quite literally referring to planting. He seems to refer to the Judgment, and teaches us, "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." Today, we must remember His words even more powerfully perhaps than ever.

Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." As in yesterday's reading, it is Peter who speaks out. What I love about Jesus' reply is His saltiness: "Are you also still without understanding?" For all the appropriate seriousness with which we take Scripture, we should never fail to see the kind of relationship He has with each of His disciples, the humor and chiding that are often involved in Jesus' human personality, and the love in all of it. But He's speaking of a very serious subject: What is purity? What does it mean to be pure in heart? Is it things we do which make us pure, or something different, deeper? This is the real question here, and the real issue at hand. What do we guard in our hearts? What do we hold dear? Again, Jesus is teaching us consistently with the Beatitudes. What do we love? "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Anything can be stored in the heart. It's up to us to decide what we treasure, what we hold dear: and those things make us who we are.

Today's reading is a little complex, although the subject is essential to us all. Notions of purity really depend upon perspective: is it in what we do, or does what we do reflect who we are within the heart? We start with the place in which relationship begins, in the heart. What do we love? What do we hold dear? Right relatedness is the subject behind today's reading: right relationship is violated by false religious practice, when we don't guard the heart for the things which make us "pure in heart." So, what is uncleanness in this sense? It is the blind leading the blind who fail to understand this basic principle about relationship -- which begins and centers on a relationship with God, God who is love, who is Logos, the source of all things we know as good, reasonable, helpful, meaningful. Or, do we guard the "crooked" things Jesus lists here, which all begin with a kind of a lie, a basic hypocrisy that begins in sheltering lies, conflicts, cruelties, false witness. Basically, they can boil down to a lack of passion for truth. Jesus has said of Himself, "I am the way and the truth." It is true in both an absolute and a personal sense; the two in this context of worship and meaning are inseparable. So what do you cherish? What do you love? Are you easily led by sophistry and blindness? A little cruelty here or there, a little bullying, a lie or two, a little false witness, malicious gossip? A desire for power or authority that supersedes right relationship? In Jesus' examples, the "commandments of men" seem to always imply a false gain, a little one-upmanship, some manipulation, a convenient way to seemingly get ahead, to put ourselves or our agendas forward, all for appearance's sake alone, while perhaps blaspheming the good - and avoiding the tough choices within ourselves. The possibilities are endless, but the answer is one. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Are we willing to let go of the things that interfere with that, wherever they are found in us and in our lives? Who or what comes first? How do we practice true discernment?