Mark 7:1–13 THE HEART OF TRUE FAITH

Year A, Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges the Pharisees and scribes for focusing more on human traditions than on the heart of God’s law. Quoting the prophet Isaiah, He says, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

Jesus reminds us that faith is not about appearances or rituals alone, but about the condition of our hearts. Practices and traditions are meant to draw us closer to God, not replace genuine love, mercy, and obedience to His will.

This Gospel invites us to reflect on our own faith life. It asks us whether our prayer, worship, and service flow from a sincere love for God and neighbor—or whether they have become routine or empty gestures.

True faith begins within. When our hearts are aligned with God’s word, our actions naturally reflect His love and truth.

Question to Ponder: Do my religious practices help draw my heart closer to God, or have they become mere habits without meaning?

With Love and Prayers

Your Co-Traveler

Fr. Leo