disciples were eating their meal with unclean hands, that is, without washing them.So the Pharisees
and the teachers of the Law asked him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of
the elders, but eat with unclean hands?” Jesus answered, “You, shallow people! How well Isaiah
prophesied of you when he wrote: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from
me. The worship they offer me is worthless, for what they teach are only human rules.” And Jesus
commented, “You have a fine way of disregarding the commandment of God in order to implant your
own tradition. For example, Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and: Whoever
curses his father or his mother is to be put to death. But according to you someone could say to his
father or mother: ‘I already declared Corban, which means “offered to God,” what you could
have expected from me.’ In this case, you no longer let him do anything for a father or mother.
So you nullify the word of God through the tradition you have handed on. And you do many other
things like that.”

Reflect

I ’ve always been a rule follower and a creature of habit. I like the structure that rules and
routines provide. Following rules means one less thing I have to figure out each day. It can
take some of the pressure off my shoulders. But the rules can become a trap as well. They can
move from being a structure to being a fence. This fence limits our growth and movement and it
keeps others out.

Jesus warned the Pharisees of this danger. The Pharisees were known for building a fence
around the law to guard against accidental breaches of the law. Jesus calls people out for
using the rules as an excuse to avoid doing what is right. While following God’s law is certainly
important, love and justice always take precedence. If we take the law of love to heart, we can
give the Lord the honor and worship he truly desires. We can reach out to our brothers and
sisters, seeing the image of God in them and treating them with dignity and compassion.

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