Invisible in His own nature [God] became visible in ours. Beyond our grasp, He
chose to come within our grasp.
- Leo I "the Great" (390?-461) God manifest as Jesus Christ!
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1 Kings
10:1-10
Psalm 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40 Mark 7:14-23 Jesus called the people to him and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. If anyone
has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’
When he had gone back into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, ‘Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?’ (Thus he pronounced all foods clean.) And he went on, ‘It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For
it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’
Reflection on the Scriptures
The people in the Gospels who encountered Christ, as well as those of us who encounter Christ today, have two models from which to choose: the religious leaders, who arrogantly “trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded
others with contempt” (Luke 18:9), including Jesus when his healing, teaching and outreach did not fit how they interpreted the Law; or Christ, who brought healing, kindness, compassion, forgiveness and mercy to all. For those of us who follow Christ, our choice should be clear. We should, with humility, bring Christ’s love to all we meet. . . Loving God, change our hearts and our
minds so that everything we say, everything we do, everything we think is worthy of you. -by David Crawford
The Imitation of Christ, Thomas A. Kempis https://amzn.to/40FrikB Paperback and Kindle versions available BOOK
ONE: Thoughts Helpful in the Life of a Soul
The Fourteenth Chapter: Avoiding Rash Judgments
TURN your attention upon
yourself and beware of judging the deeds of others, for in judging others a person labors vainly, often makes mistakes, and easily sins; whereas, in judging and taking stock of himself he does something that is always profitable.
We frequently judge that things are as we wish them to be, for through personal feeling true perspective is easily lost. If God were the sole object of our desire, we should not be disturbed so easily by opposition to our opinions. But often something lurks within or happens from without to draw us along with it.
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