Readings for the Day:
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9: The Israelites believed the law was a divine gift that provided guidelines for living out the covenant. Moses commands the people to obey the law and to neither add to nor subtract from it. The Israelites are also to teach the law to their children and their children’s children.
James 1:17-27: The letter of James was intended to provide first-century Christians with instruction in godly behavior. Here Christians are encouraged to listen carefully and to act on what they hear especially by caring for those least able to care for themselves.
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23: Mark’s gospel depicts Jesus as challenging traditional ways in which religious people determine what is pure or impure. For Jesus, the observance of religious practices cannot become a substitute for godly words or deeds that spring from a faithful heart.
‘From Sunday & Seasons, copyright 2023 Augsburg Fortress’
Questions To Ponder:
1— How do you teach the faith to others? (Deut. 4:6-9)
2—How can you live out the words be ‘slow to speak’ this week? (James 1:17-27)
3—What is the big deal about eating with unwashed hands? (Mark 7:1-8)
4—How do these texts speak to you today?
Prayer: O God our strength, without you we are weak and wayward creatures. Protect us from all dangers that attack us from the outside, and cleanse us from all evil that arises from within ourselves, that we may be preserved. Amen.