Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: MARK 7:24-30

Jesus wanted to go about unrecognized. So he moved to a place where no one will know him and disturb him. The author wanted to show that even if Jesus wanted to be unnoticed he could not do so. His fame has reached even to the foreign land and even the people who were of non Jewish faith recognized him and approached him for assistance.

Jesus seemed to have communicated that he had come to serve the people of Jewish faith. And this was the reason why he said to the lady that the children should be fed first. And it appeared that he considered the people of the other faith as dogs (insulting). In the bible dogs represent animals that go back to its own vomit (2 Pet 2:22). Probably Jesus was meaning that this lady would go back to practice her own religion after the miracle. But when the woman expressed her faith Jesus could only high lighten the faith of the woman.

இயேசு தலைமறைவாக இருக்க விரும்பினாலும் அவரால் இயலவில்லை காரணம் அவரது புகழ் எங்கும் பரவி இருந்தது. தனது பணி இஸ்ராயேல் மக்களுக்குத்தான் என்று அவர் ஏற்றுக்கொண்டாலும் விசுவாசம் இருக்கும் இடத்தில் அவரால் மறுக்க முடியவில்லை. இயேசுவின் வாழ்வுக்கும் போதனைக்கும் விசுவாசம் அடித்தளமாக இருக்கிறது.

GOSPEL READING: Mk 7:14-23

Jesus, once again, speaks a parable – a one sentence parable. To the people he always speaks in parables. In the parable he communicates something about defilement of persons. This parable has got some message about the religious practices of the times of Jesus. But it speaks about ‘inside’ and ‘outside’.

Purity rules are made specifically to make boundaries. These boundary rules deal with concerns of the society or a culture. Often these boundary rules get overstressed when a society is threatened by invasion or infiltration by another group. In short, these rules are to hold on to one’s own identity.

Jesus, by speaking about the kingdom, talks about new way of life. He is not concerned about defilement or identity. He is interested in all and his interests are shown in their spiritual life. His spirituality here is seen in fighting the evil. It is evil that defiles a person and contaminates him. So defilement comes from evil.

தீமைதான் ஒருவனை தீட்டுப்படுத்துகிறது. வெளியில் உள்ள பொருள்கள் ஒருவனை தீட்டுப்படுத்த முடியாது. மனிதனின் மனதில் இருந்து வரும் தீமை ஒருவனை தீட்டுப்படுத்தும்.