Traditionalism is the living religion of the dead or the dead religion of the living. Tradition imagines that nothing worthwhile will ever again be done for the first time because everything worth doing has already been done. Therefore, traditionalism repeats what it imagined always was and what it imagines always will be. The problem with tradition for tradition's sake is a terminal case of spiritual heart disease.

In this scripture reading, a delegation of religious leaders makes their way from Jerusalem to investigate Jesus Christ, just as they had done previously (see Mark 3:22). The last time they came, they called Jesus an instrument of the devil. This time, they observe some of Jesus' disciples eating food without first washing their hands. The gospel writer Mark, whose target audi…