Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. Mk 7,1-2
The Pharisees and some scribes observed that some of his disciples eating with unwashed hands. I wonder whether they observed what they were eating. The disciples are there to eat. So what must be observed is what they were eating. The pharisees reach only half way. They see their hands in their plates. But they do not see what is in their plates or in their mouth. And they get stuck with that. Many a times this happens
Do traditions end up this way – I mean the half way. Traditions, rules and regulations are made to help us complete something. They are there to assist us to reach a goal. Without the goal, the traditions are empty. The rules have no relevance. Often times this what happens: we go in search of a goal but we reach half way and we get stuck with that. We spend all our life in the half ways.
Precisely on this ground that Jesus makes his comment on them when he says:"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.' You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."
Here again they reach only half way: they use words (lips service) not with hearts. They talk about worship but spend their time discussing about human doctrines. They start with God's commandments but end up with human traditions.
We need to reach beyond the traditions. Observe beyond the traditions.
