Gospel for February 9, 2011

Gospel:Mark 7:14-23

The Heart of Man

So, calling the crowd to him again, he proceeded to say to them: “Listen to me, all of you, and get the meaning. There is nothing from outside a man that passes into him that can defile him; but the things that issue forth out of a man are the things that defile a man.” Now when Jesus had entered a house away from the crowd, his disciples began to question him respecting the illustration. So Jesus said to them: Are you also without perception like them? Are you not aware that nothing from outside that passes into a man can defile him, since it passes, not into [his] heart, but into [his] intestines, and it passes out into the sewer?” Thus he declared all foods clean. Further , Jesus said: “That which issues forth out of a man is what defiles a man; for from inside, out of the heart of men, injurious reasonings issue forth: fornications, thieveries, murders, adulteries, covetings, act of wickedness, deceit, loose conduct, an envious eye, blasphemy, haughtiness, unreasonableness. All these wicked things issue forth from within and defile a man.”