Twenty-second Ordinary

Mark 7: 6 – 8

Jesus answered, “Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull’s-eye in fact: These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it. They act like they are worshipping me, but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy, ditching God’s command and taking up the latest fads.”

As the CEO of a major publishing house, he was a big fish in a big pond. His main publication was a world-renowned reference set. He had made it to the top by schmoozing and playing it safe. His main goal was to enjoy his privilege and keep the stockholders happy.

Enter a quiet editor who is dedicated to the publication. He is asked to manage a long overdue revision of the product. He is determined to be uncompromisingly thorough and correct the many mistakes he knew to be lurking in the last edition. It would be costly, but the product and customers would be better served.

But there was one thing the manager didn’t figure in his plans: the CEO’s desire to give the stockholders ever-increasing returns. The final word came down: “We are the standard of the industry. We can print this thing on toilet paper and people will still buy it. We are not going to invest the kind of money you’re talking about in this revised edition.”

The editors, the customers, the stockholders were all defiled that day. Not surprisingly, this centuries- old product died a decade later. As Jesus reminds us, it’s what’s inside that matters, and sooner or later it’s going to be revealed.