Our Venerable Mother Euphrosyne
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Galatians 6:2-10; Mark 7:14-24
Today the Lord gives the disciples a basic biology and theology lesson: food is for the stomach and virtues are for the heart and soul. Before the coming of Christ, the Jews were instructed by the Lord to abstain from certain foods, which if they were to consume, or touch, would make them ‘ceremonially unclean’ (Lev 11:4). This was first and foremost an exercise in obedience in order to instil in the Jewish people a deep understanding that they are to be separated from the pagan nations. This was one of the greatest struggles for the Jews as they were constantly tempted to accept from their pagan nations religious practices and beliefs—which were gravely contradictory to the one true God. They were not to intermarry or even share a common meal because the temptation was so strong and they were weak. They lacked the one gift of God, which we far too often take for granted: the Grace received in Baptism and Chrismation–union with Christ, unto forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord renders all foods ‘clean’ for we no longer need separation as we have now been washed by the blood of the Lamb and received the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants us to focus at the real heart of the matter that is spiritual growth through the cleansing of the heart and the uprooting of vices and growth in virtue. God wants us to be aware that He cares about what I think, say and do. Our thoughts, words and actions have consequences for the person who is full of vices shuts his heart to the Lord and is unworthy to commune with the Living God—this is real defilement. In other words, sin is the ultimate tragedy for because of it I cannot become what I was created to be: “a partaker of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).