Today's Scripture readings for Mass are here
Gospel Matthew 15 : 1-2 ; 10-14
Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal."
He summoned the crowd and said to them, "Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one's mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one."
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
"Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?"
He said in reply, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit."
"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal."
He summoned the crowd and said to them, "Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one's mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one."
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
"Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?"
He said in reply, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit."
From left to right : Francis Xavier, Ignatius of Loyola and Peter Faber.
From here
Today is also the feast day of Blessed Peter Faber a Jesuit and the first of Ignatius Loyola's companions. His life story is here and a good account here.
"Even though he was an outstanding representative of the Catholic reformation, and as such a strong opponent of Protestantism, Peter's gentle and winning spirit would not permit him to be harsh.
As he said, "It is necessary that anyone who desires to be serviceable to heretics of the present age should hold them in great affection and love them very truly, putting out of his head all thoughts and feelings that tend to their discredit.
The next thing he must do is win their goodwill and love by friendly dialogue and converse about matters on which there is no differing between us, taking care to avoid all controversial subjects that lend to bickering and mutual recrimination.
The things that unite us ought to be the first ground of our approach, not the things that keep us apart."
Well, given the state of the world and the issues facing it plus the conflicts in and between ourselves this one is a very hard one to put into practice. Oh dear !
Well, given the state of the world and the issues facing it plus the conflicts in and between ourselves this one is a very hard one to put into practice. Oh dear !
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