What do you exhale?

Greetings on this the Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: 1 Kgs 10:1-10; PS 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40; Mk 7:14-23

Notes

Defile means to:

1. damage the purity or integrity of.
2. impair the appearance of; disfigure.
3. diminish or destroy the value or quality of.

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

Summary

It is such a key difference than some would understand things to be, that is, to understand the word defile as an interior condition brought about by an expression of an interior problem. But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.

“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.

People can experience all sort of terrible events and circumstances. These events and actions of others cannot and never will defile you. You dignity given from the divine at the moment of your creation is yours forever. You have the dignity of the divine breath, rauh of the Lord. Thus says God, the LORD,…Who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk on it (ISA 42:5ac).

What is defiling is different. It is the impure thoughts turned to actions. Our imperfect state as it is of itself does not defile. It is the failure to master one’s self and allow the negative impulses to take action. These defile-able thoughts can be purified by us with the help of God into their actual expression intended from the beginning.

Reflection

We can convert what we exhale by what we inhale. The process of sanctification and holiness makes for a purifying conversion from the heart:

• An evil thought can be upgraded to a holy thought.
• An unchaste impulse into innocense.
• A desire to theft into a charitable heart.
• A desire to murder into a self-giving heart.
• A desire to adultery into discovery of your Other.
• A desire to greed into generosity.
• A desire to malice into kindness.
• A desire to deceit into a truth seeker.
• A desire to licentiousness into self-control.
• A desire to envy into appreciation.
• A desire to blasphemy into praising God these transformations.
• A desire to arrogance into humility.
• A desire to folly into joyfulness and mirth.

Then let all these things come out of you!

Personal Reflection

We live in an age of deflection and projection. Everyone, myself included, suffer from this to one degree or another. The Queen of Sheba doubted Solomon but came and asked all her questions to her satisfaction. As a result: She was breathless. Remember this: you must exhale in order to inhale. You cannot have one without the other. We must learn to exhale that which is holy.

From the list above we can chose what we exhale. I’d rather the conversion.

Having exhausted, exhaled, all she doubted she came to understand. Blessed be the LORD, your God.

First Reading

Solomon’s Listening Heart: The Queen of Sheba.

The queen of Sheba, having heard of Solomon’s fame, came to test him with subtle questions. She came to Solomon and questioned him on every subject in which she was interested. King Solomon explained everything she asked about, and there remained nothing hidden from him that he could not explain to her.

She was breathless.

Blessed be the LORD, your God, whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel. In his enduring love for Israel, the LORD has made you king to carry out judgment and justice.”

Responsorial

The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.

Gospel Acclamation

Your word, O Lord, is truth: consecrate us in the truth.

Gospel

“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry