Family Bible Study - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Passage:
Mark 7:1 Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from
Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they noticed that some of his disciples were
eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (For the Pharisees, and
all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the
tradition of the elders; 4 and they do not eat anything from the market unless they
wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of
cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why
do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’ 8 You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.” 14 Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.” 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Question for Discussion:
1) Jesus says that having a clean heart is more important than clean hands. Jesus gives us a list of sins that make a person's heart and soul dirty. How
can you clean your heart? What sacrament did Jesus give us to help you do
this?
used with permission - Fr. Roger Landry