Purity
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Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles. -Matthew 15:10
If you’ve read much of the New Testament, you understand that what you ate or didn’t eat were very important for early Christians. In the Jewish tradition, certain foods were considered unclean. After Peter had a vision of being invited to eat all kinds of food, Jewish Christians rejected the food limitations they’d been raised with. But old habits and beliefs are hard to change, and there were many conflicts about whether it was ok to eat shellfish or cloven-hoofed animals or not. Whether you really needed to be circumcised or not. Whether they were still Jews or were starting a new thing or not.
Of course, many people today still practice kosher laws, and many people who are not Jewish also equate food practices with spirituality. People can be vegetarians or vegans, fruitarians or paleo eaters for various spiritual reasons. And there is nothing wrong with having a spiritual ethic of food. Mindful eating and other disciplines related to food are a good way to embody gratitude for your body and for how God’s provides us with grace-filled sustenance. Difficulties can occur, however, when you begin to think your own beliefs are right and everyone else’s are wrong. When you begin to think you are pure and others are dirty.
In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus is calling out religious authorities who say very judgemental things about what people do or don’t eat without notice the things they do that break God’s commands. He often called them hypocrites - pointing out how they’re quick to jump on the shortcomings of others without repenting for any of their own shortcomings. He is poking at their belief that they are pure while others are unclean.
Sometimes I hear myself pass judgement on others. “He’s got to get it together!” or “She just doesn’t get it.” or “What a jerk.” Even if I don’t say things like that out loud (but especially when I do!) what is coming out of me is damaging to my relationships and community. The beliefs I’ve taken in may or may not be true in the sight of God, even if I think my intentions are pure and others are suspect.
Kindness, listening, offering support - these are sometimes hard to give when someone acts or believes in a way that you don’t approve of. And when you really feel you need to hold someone accountable for something they’re doing wrong, it’s very challenging to speak the truth in love. These days we talk about the importance of speaking in “I statements” instead of accusing others of being wrong, stupid, off the rails, etc. For example, “I have a very full schedule, so when you are repeatedly 20 minutes late, I end up in an unworkable squeeze” is more loving than “Can’t you tell time? You are always throwing off my day!”
It’s interesting that Jesus teaches this in the first paragraph of our gospel selection and then the second paragraph is probably the most vivid example of Jesus being fully human and saying something harsh to a Canaanite woman. He starts with an “I statement,” but then thoughtlessly insults her in his assertion of his own beliefs. Happily, with the help of her kindness and faith, he then shows us the way to making amends when we do fully human things like that. I look forward to us exploring this passage together on Sunday.
