He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. 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.”
Mk. 7:18-23
Thankfully I was never good at playing the blame game. Not to present myself as the golden child or anything, but I often played the “take the blame game” in order to move on to the next game technique. There were certainly times in my childhood and beyond though where I would have liked to assign blame to something or someone else. It would be much easier on me if the problems of my life were someone else’s fault.
The list of those responsible for the problems of culture, society, the world, or my life could include politicians, government, family of origin, peers in school, etc… However, Jesus did not teach us a blame game. His teaching is that wickedness and evil lie within the heart of a person (and not outside). The good news of this teaching is that while I may not be able to change the contexts of my life, I can change my response to it.
Will I allow my heart to produce dispositions that defile or which build up the Kingdom of God?
Jesus, I give you permission to change the dispositions of my heart.
Today’s Reflection is by:
Fr. Chuck Dornquast
Did you know...
Fr. Chuck Dornquast is a son of St. Joseph Parish in Zephyrhills. After graduating from Zephyrhills High School he entered the seminary where he would spend the next 9 years. While in seminary he spent time at many of our diocesan parishes and discovered more and more the heart of Christ the High Priest within him. After ordination, he spent his first 4 years of priesthood as the associate pastor of St. Lawrence in Tampa. He currently serves the Diocese of St. Petersburg as the Director of Vocations.
