First Reading (Genesis 2,4b-9.15-17).
Reading of the Book of Genesis.
In the day that the Lord made the earth and the heaven, there was as yet no bush of the field on the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, nor was there any man to cultivate the soil. But a spring gushed out of the earth and watered its entire surface. Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had formed. And the Lord God made to grow out of the ground all sorts of trees with attractive appearance and fruit that were delicious to taste, the tree of life in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may eat from every tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day you do so you will certainly die.”
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Mark 7,14-23).
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus called the crowd to him and said: “Listen, everyone, and understand: what makes a man unclean is not what enters him from outside, but what comes out from within. Whoever has ears to hear, listen”. When Jesus entered the house, away from the crowd, the disciples asked him about this parable. Jesus said to them: “Do you not even understand? Do you not understand that nothing that comes from outside and enters a person can make him unclean, because it does not enter his heart, but into his stomach and goes to the cesspit?” Thus Jesus declared that all foods were clean. He said: “What comes out of man, that is what makes him unclean. For it is from within the human heart that evil intentions, immorality, theft, murder, adultery, excessive ambitions, evil, fraud, debauchery, envy, slander , pride, lack of judgment. All these bad things come from within, and they are what make man unclean.”
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are invited by the readings to reflect on two fundamental aspects of our relationship with God and the world: the gift of creation and purity of heart. These two dimensions are deeply connected, as the way we relate to creation reflects the inner state of our heart.
Let’s start with the Genesis account. Imagine, for a moment, a great artist in his studio. He takes a piece of clay, molds it with patience, care and love, until what was just clay takes shape, life and beauty. This is how God created man. The text tells us that He formed human beings from the dust of the ground and breathed into them the breath of life. What a powerful image! We are not just matter; In us is the breath of God himself.
God then places man in the garden of Eden, a paradise full of beauty and harmony, with the mission of “cultivating and guarding it”. This is the first human vocation: to be guardian of creation. God entrusts us with the responsibility of caring for the world He created, of using resources wisely and gratefully. However, along with this privilege, God gives a command: “You may eat of every tree in the garden, but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Here we see the emergence of something fundamental: human freedom. God gives us the choice, but with it comes responsibility.
Now let’s move on to Mark’s gospel. Jesus, in his divine wisdom, reveals to us that true evil does not come from outside, but from within, from the human heart. He says, “Nothing that enters a man from without can make him unclean; but what comes out of a man makes him unclean.” These words call us to a deep reflection: how is our heart?
Let us think of the heart as a garden, similar to Eden. A garden needs to be cultivated, watered and protected from weeds. If we do not take care of our heart, the weeds of sin – such as envy, pride, evil – can grow and suffocate the good seeds that God planted in us. Therefore, Jesus reminds us that what really matters is not what we do externally to appear good, but the internal state of our heart.
Now, let’s connect these two readings. In Genesis, we see a God who creates a good world and entrusts human beings with the care of his work. In the gospel, Jesus reminds us that this care begins within us, in cultivating a pure and sincere heart. When we neglect taking care of our inner self, this is reflected in our actions and the way we treat the world around us.
Let me share a story to illustrate this. There was a woman who took care of a small garden in front of her house. Every day, she watered the plants, pulled the weeds and admired the flowers that grew. One day, however, she began to get so busy with other tasks that she left the garden aside. The weeds began to grow, and soon the flowers withered. A neighbor, seeing the state of the garden, asked, “Why did you let this happen?” She replied, “I was so busy trying to fix everything around the house that I forgot to take care of the garden.”
The same happens with our hearts. We can be so busy with external concerns – work, material goods, appearance – that we forget to take care of what really matters: our relationship with God and others.
But how can we take care of our heart? Jesus gives us the answer: vigilance and discernment. We need to be vigilant about the thoughts and attitudes we allow into our hearts. When we notice something that can take us away from God – such as resentment or greed – we must remove it, just as we pull a weed from a garden.
Furthermore, we need to discern the voices we hear. The world often tells us that success, wealth and power are what really matter. But Jesus reminds us that the true treasure is living with a pure heart full of love.
I would now like to propose a practical exercise for all of us. Throughout this week, dedicate a few minutes each day to do a “heart check”. Ask yourself: What is growing in the garden of my heart? Are there weeds that need to be removed? Am I growing flowers of kindness, patience and compassion?
Also think about how you are taking care of the garden of creation. Are we being responsible guardians of the world God has entrusted to us? Are we living in ways that reflect gratitude for the gift of creation? The way we treat the world and others is a direct reflection of the state of our heart.
As I close this homily, I want to leave you with an image to reflect on. Imagine a small stream of crystal clear water flowing through a garden. It is clean, refreshing and full of life. But if we allow dirt to enter this stream, it will become murky and polluted. So is our heart. When we keep it pure, it is a source of life for ourselves and others. When we neglect it, we lose peace and alienate those around us.
Let us ask God for the grace to be vigilant, to take care of both our hearts and the world around us. May we live as true guardians of creation and as disciples who reflect God’s love and goodness in all things. And, above all, let us remember that, despite our weaknesses, God never abandons us. He is always ready to help us cultivate a pure heart and live in harmony with His creation.
Amen.
