Evil come from within the human heart

Gen. 2:4-9.15-17, Mk 7:14-23. Today's first reading describes the Lord planting a garden with all kinds of delightful things to eat and putting Adam there to cultivate and care for it. Within the garden was the tree of knowledge of good and evil with fruit, he was not to eat; Adam was expected to exercise self-control and a humble regard for the instructions of God. Jesus developes this traditional idea in today's Gospel, when He affirms that external things are part of God’s good creation. What we eat or drink is clean and healthy, gifts from God of life. Evil comes from within the human heart, from whose wicked desires flow, those crimes and offenses which corrode and corrupt the world.

While the heart is a powerful, traditional symbol for love, Jesus takes a somewhat more nuanced view of what lies hidden in the heart. It can be the seat of evil intentions, intentions that are damaging and destructive to others. The heart is the person’s inner core and we know that our heart can hold both light and shade; it can be a reservoir for good and harm. We need the divine wisdom to assist us to choose good always. Without wisdom, evil can entice us away from the right path. Jesus names some evil tendencies, almost the reverse of the ten commandments: fornication, theft, murder, greed, arrogance, an obtuse spirit. The wisdom we need comes from God’s Holy Spirit.

May the Lord give us true knowledge of His mercy so that we may renounce our pride and be filled with the riches of His grace! Amen!! Good morning, peace be with you!!!