THE gospel in Mark 7:1-23, and the readings in Deuteronomy 4:1-14 and James 1:17-27, all converge to a single theme – the importance of faithfully obeying the commandments of God from the heart.

Moses tells the Israelites, “Hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you” (Deuteronomy 4:1-2). James tells the Christians, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). And Jesus, referencing the words of Isaiah, says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions” (Mark 7:6-8).

God’s word is to be taken in its purity for what it is – not distorted to erroneous interpretations; not corrupted to make wrong right, and right, wrong; and not adulterated to include meaningless traditions. Why? Because as the psalmist said, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous” (Psalm 19:7-9).

But God’s word, to be fully efficacious in our lives and in our community, must be applied. Reading our Bibles, listening to preachings, or even quoting Scriptural verses – all of these are truly praiseworthy, but without application to our relationship with God and fellowmen, everything is done in vain. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:17).

And so, today, it is good that we challenge ourselves with these questions: “How does God speak to me in a personal way with his words? Given his message, how can I change the things that I should change? How can I turn away from evil, walk closer to God, and bask in his goodness?”

In our reflection, let us remember: “The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). On the power of God’s word, he himself told us, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth.

It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11). Finally, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).