Can't See the Forest for the Trees

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23

Nothing outside a person can enter and make a person unclean; 

rather the things that come out make that person unclean.

James 1:17-18,21-22,27

Be doers of the word.

The Gospel passage for today offers a disputation over what is clean and unclean.  And in essence tries to bring light to a "can't see the forest for the trees" confusion.  The accusation is that the Pharisees are so focused on the letter of the smallish laws that they break the grand law of love God and neighbor.  It is midpoint in Mark's gospel and Jesus is about to move to the Gentiles where he is hoping for a little less thick-headedness.

The passage from James today is plain lovely…and challenging.  It also speaks to the forest and trees mix up.  Unfortunately the lectionary has chopped it up pretty badly…so I read verses 12-27 and hopefully will be "blessed in what I do." (v.25)  The whole pericope blesses and challenges.

If the Gospel is warning against over-scrupulosity vis a vis the law, James is giving an antidote.  

Know this, my beloved brothers and sisters:  
Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

I'll just meditate on that for today.