Pope: We are called to live our faith consistently in prayer and practice

By Vatican News

Pope Francis recounted how in today's Gospel, Jesus speaks about purity and impurity in response to the accusation by some scribes and pharisees that He allowed his disciples to have food without performing the purity ritual of the washing of hands. The Lord then spoke about the importance of purity, but not linked to external rituals, but first and foremost about inner disposition. The Pope explained how Jesus points out the contradiction of external purifying gestures, like the washing of one's hands several times, if the person still harbours in the heart evil thoughts, such as greed, envy, pride, deceit, theft or slander. 

The Pope emphasised how important this concept is for all of us, saying we cannot attend Mass and then engage in mercilous gossip or lack in charity about everthing and everyone. He said gossip "ruins the heart" and soul and we must not engage in it. He said it is the same if we go to worship and show piety in our prayers, but then return home and treat family with coldness or detachment, or neglect our elderly parents who need our help and company.

The Pope termed this a "double life" that we cannot allow. External purity without good and merciful disposition towards others does not work, he emphasised, as it reduces one's relationship with God to "external gestures, and within one remains impervious to the purifying action of His grace" by lacking in love in thoughts, words and actions.

The Pope then suggested we look at our own lives and how consistently we live our faith - if with the same spirit in church and outside. Is what I think, say, and do reflective of the same spirit, one where I strive to make "what I say in prayer tangible in closeness and respect for my brothers and sisters," the Pope asked.