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Gospel: Matthew 7: 6, 12-14
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.
“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine.”
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There are a few phrases in the Gospels that either make little sense or seem lost in translation. This is one of them.
But the early Church took these words of Christ seriously. To them, they implied an exclusiveness; or, an “us versus them” mentality.
Jesus makes the distinction between what is holy versus what is unholy, thrown to dogs; between pearls and pigs.
Christians saw themselves as the “holy” ones.
While they intended to spread the Gospel message to the ends of the earth, they also needed to form boundaries, limiting their interactions with those who did not believe.
Otherwise, they were concerned that the immoral practices of non-believers would rub off on them, watering down their faith. The last thing Christians wanted was someone who claimed to follow Christ in their speech, but failed to do so in their actions.
For this reason, before celebrating the Eucharist, the deacon would announce to the congregation, “Holy things for holy people,” reminding them that only those who were inwardly pure should receive our Lord.
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You and I can benefit from this reminder today.
While we must live in the world, we are not of it. Be careful not to let the doubt, the skepticism, or the immorality of non-believers rub off on you.
Otherwise, our faith gets watered down.
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“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine.”
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Make every effort to remain undefiled, living a holy and a pure life.
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Image credits: (1) Mission Venture Ministries – WordPress (2) Got Questions (3) Northern Hills Baptist Church, YouTube