God’s Commandment and Human Tradition

This meditation is based on a passage for March 13, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Mark 7:1-23

Reflection and Question: When Jesus chastises the Jewish leaders, saying, “You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition,” He is speaking to us, as well, because we do the very same thing. We enforce church tradition of judging GLBT people, even when their hearts and lives manifest all the virtues of the Holy Spirit. We forget that God’s commandment is to love one another as Jesus loved us and that God’s command has priority over every human tradition. What tradition in our time is like washing hands and eating kosher in Jesus’ time?

Prayer: Dearest Jesus, we want to understand what you are teaching here but need Your help. Knowing what is just a human tradition and what is Your sovereign command is hard for us. Show us what to keep and what to shed so that our hearts may be pure. Amen.