Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Deuteronomy, chapter 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: Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 30, 2015)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 30, 2015)

Community in Mission: The Love of the Law and the Law of Love - A Homily for the 22nd Sunday of the Year (29 AUG 15)

Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: Tradition, Tradition

Word on Fire: Law and Laws (Cycle B * Ordinary Time * Week 22)

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: Pure Religion: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (24 AUG 15)

The CWR Blog: The cart of human tradition and the horse of divine Law (29 AUG 15)

Spirituality of the Readings: The Heart of the Matter (22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time B)

Let the Scriptures Speak: Clean Hands, Dirty Thoughts? (22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time B)

The Word Embodied: Difficult Passages (22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time B)

Historical Cultural Context: Conflict (22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time B)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Irenaeus (22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time B)

Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (28 AUG 15)