Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27; and Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 15 (Psalm 15:2-5).

For one version of the responsorial psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 15

The Gospel reading is as follows:

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. – For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. – So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”

He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.’ You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”

He 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. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 2, 2012)

Msgr. Charles Pope: Letting Love have His way – A reflection on the Readings for the 22nd Sunday of the Year (1 SEP 12)

Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: Tradition, Tradition

Catholic Online: The Happy Priest Reflects on Humility and the Journey of Life (1 SEP 12)

The Deacon's Bench: Homily for September 2, 2012: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (1 SEP 12)

Dr. Scott Hahn: Pure Religion (September 2nd 2012 - Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The Word Encountered: Difficult Passages (Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time B)

Dominican Daily: Word to Life: Sirius XM: Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (1 SEP 12)