Universal Utterings®
for September 1, 2024

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09-01-2024 Mark 7 V-1723 Thoughts evil come from hearts unclean

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The Gospel of Mark Chapter 7 v-17 thru 23

17 When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. 18 He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19 since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)20 “But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. 21 From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. 23 All these evils come from within and they defile.”

This passage in Mark 7 addresses the issue of ritual purity and the nature of true defilement. In this context, Jesus is responding to the Pharisees and scribes who criticize His disciples for eating with unwashed hands, violating traditional Jewish purity laws.

In verses 17-19, after addressing the crowd, Jesus explains that it is not what goes into a person that defiles them, but what comes out. Jesus emphasizes that food consumed does not enter the heart but the stomach and is expelled. This declaration challenges the established Jewish dietary laws and suggests a shift away from external rituals to a focus on inner moral integrity.

Jesus then elaborates in verses 20-23, stating that true defilement comes from within, from the heart. He lists various evils—such as evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly—that emerge from the human heart. This teaching underscores that moral and spiritual purity is determined by one's thoughts and actions rather than mere adherence to external rituals.

The passage highlights the radical nature of Jesus’ teaching, emphasizing that the essence of true religion involves the transformation of the heart and character. It challenges the religious leaders' understanding of holiness and invites a deeper reflection on what it means to live a life pleasing to God. By prioritizing inner purity over external observance, Jesus presents a revolutionary perspective on faith that continues to resonate in Christian theology today, encouraging believers to cultivate a heart aligned with God's will rather than simply following rules and regulations. Amen.

Join me as we pray our daily prayer of forgiveness. The Lord’s Prayer.

At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

I am sorry Lord. I believe You died and rose for me. Please forgive me as I forgive others. I share You as my Lord and Savior seeking to live your Will in all things. Prayers for wife Toni and my mother Betty pray for our children especially our two oldest Alexandra & Allen Son in Law Mark Stern; Julian, Gabriel and Jeffrey and our grandchildren Oliver, Julian and Elliott. We pray for those we’ve said we’d pray for and those who’ve asked us to pray for them. We pray for the dying as we do each day Lord give them peace in their last breath. We pray for Holy Mother Church. Our prayers for our niece Brittany. In Jesus Precious Blood by His Name we pray. Amen.

I am a poet obedient to Christ,
Catholic Evangelist Thomas Cruz†Wiggins

Practice. Pray. Proclaim. ®
†Spirit led God inspired Christ fed†®
Ephesians 6:17-20

09-01-2024 Mark 7 V-1723

**Thoughts evil come from hearts unclean**

In shadows cast by ancient laws,

Where rituals reign and whispers pause,

A voice arose, both bold and clear,

“To cleanse the heart is what we hear.”

The hands may wash, the cups may gleam,

But let not this be all that we dream.

For food consumed, it leaves no trace,

The heart alone holds true disgrace.

From depths within, our thoughts take flight,

A tempest born of dark and light.

Evil whispers, envy’s snare,

In secret corners, hearts laid bare.

Adultery, greed, and slander’s bite,

These seeds of discord dim the light.

Yet from this well, redemption flows,

A call to rise, to shed our woes.

What’s pure is not the plate we share,

But kindness, love, and hearts laid bare.

So cast aside the heavy chains,

And seek the truth that love ordains.

For every heart, a sacred space,

Where grace can dwell, and mercy chase.

In inward truth, our spirits grow,

A garden rich, where goodness flows. Amen.

© Thomas Joe Cruz†Wiggins

September 1, 2024 @ 03:43 AM EST

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