From the Gospel according to Mark 7:14–23

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”
When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable.
He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything
that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?”
(Thus he declared all foods clean.)
“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Pay attention!

How good the Lord is, who enlightens us through this Gospel and shows us where to fix our gaze. So often we go through life with the bad habit of looking outside ourselves for the cause—or the culprits—of our troubles: “If my husband would change…,” “it’s my boss…,” “this rebellious child drives me crazy,” “it’s their fault…,” “if only they hadn’t said that…” Without realizing it, we end up placing the source of our uneasiness, our reactions, and our lack of love in something or someone outside of us.
Today the Lord comes to show us where to look. Pay attention, spouses! It is easy to focus on the other person’s faults or on external circumstances and overlook what is happening in our own hearts. I may never say a harsh word to my husband, yet judge him inwardly. And that is where the seed of evil begins to grow in my heart. It may seem small, but both good and evil always begin small—a tiny seed that eventually grows. So, pay attention to the heart! What am I thinking? What do I desire? What are my intentions? The cup may look beautiful and clean on the outside, but inside, dirt may already be taking root.

Applied to married life:

(After praying with this Gospel, Peter and Cristina share their reflections.)
Cristina: Do you know what I realized, Peter? Yesterday when you got home from work, I spoke to you harshly and made a rude gesture. That led to silence and distance between us until this morning. It’s true that I was exhausted—from work at the office and from spending the whole afternoon with the kids… But I’ve realized that it wasn’t the tiredness that created the distance. Tiredness made things harder, yes, but what truly broke our communion was the indifference and anger that came from my heart.
Peter: Yeah… I’ve realized something too. I’ve been helping the new colleague who just joined the office. On the surface, my intention seemed good, but deep down I was trying to make a good impression—showing off my knowledge and wanting others to see me as generous, kind, a good guy. In the end, I wasn’t helping purely out of love; vanity crept in.
Cristina: I think becoming aware of this is a grace from God. I want to stay attentive to what comes out of my heart when something bothers me or doesn’t go the way I want.
Peter: This helps me recognize my own misery, so I can place it in the Lord’s hands and let Him change my heart. How much we need Him!
Cristina: Let’s thank God for showing us the truth of our hearts—and tomorrow, let’s go to confession. What do you think?

Mother,

help us not to make excuses, but to humbly acknowledge our weakness with a contrite and humble heart. Blessed and praised be forever!