Mark 7: 14-23

When my mother was still alive, I used to accompany her to the doctor. I became curious why the blood pressure is always taken. When I eventually queried, the nurse explained it quite simply. “It is the heart that is the most important organ. It is the heart that determines whether there is life or no life.”

My dear friends, the Gospel speaks about the heart. It is the heart that is not only the most important part of our body, it is also the most important part of our spiritual life. Because the mouth speaks what the heart feels.

Hence, three medicines for the usual sickness of our spiritual heart.

1. For the sickness of anger, forgiveness. If a person has anger in his or her heart, this anger is thrown to all the people around him. Hence relationships are affected. That is why the challenge is to forgive as the person who forgives is the first beneficiary.
2. For the sickness of envy, gratitude. As human beings, we often compare our live with others. Eventually, we get envious. Gossip is a result of envy as we want to put people down. Hence, the antidote for this, is gratitude. If we realize that we have so many blessings, whether rich or otherwise, there is nothing to be envious about.
3. For the sickness of being judgmental, reaching out. Saint Mother Teresa once said that if we love, we won’t have time to judge. Hence, the challenge to reach out and know our neighbor so that biases and prejudices will be broken down.

“O Diyos, hilomin mo ng aking sugatang puso.”  This is what we pray for our heart. Talking about the heart, the book, Little Prince, reminds us that, “The Heart Sees What is Essential in Life.”