5th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Reflection on the WORD

“Hypocrisy” – Faith: In today’s Gospel, Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees for being “hypocrites” in the practice of their faith. They observe rituals externally in great detail, but they do not obey God’s Commandments of treating others with justice and mercy. Ponder on, “The values of our faith, when practiced faithfully, draw us to love Jesus more deeply.

Mark 7:1-2, 5-8

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them.

So the Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘How rightly Isaiah prophesied about you hypocrites in the passage of scripture: This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. Their reverence of me is worthless; the lessons they teach are nothing but human commandments. You put aside the commandment of God to observe human traditions.’

Today's Pointers on God's Word

As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?

  • It is so easy to be tempted to be superficial in the way we live our faith. We focus on the non-essentials of our faith and miss the essence of our salvation and that of others.
  • We miss out on the times when God is trying to focus us on how to live the Good News that Jesus has preached.
  • Thus, throughout each day we miss the many God-given opportunities to live a life that God wills of us. Can you identify some of the opportunities that you might have missed today?