Gospel (Mk 7,1-8.14-15.21-23) - At that time, the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus. Having seen that some of his disciples took food with impure, that is, unwashed hands - in fact the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they have washed their hands carefully, following the tradition of the ancients and, returning from the market, they do not eat without having performed ablutions, and observe many other things by tradition, such as washing glasses, dishes, copper objects and beds -, those Pharisees and scribes questioned him: «Why do your disciples not behave according to the tradition of the ancients, but do they take food with unclean hands?”. And he answered them: «Isaiah prophesied well about you hypocrites, as it is written: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines that are precepts of men." By neglecting the commandment of God, you observe the tradition of men." Calling the crowd again, he said to them: «Listen to me, everyone and understand well! There is nothing outside man which, by entering into him, can make him impure. But it is the things that come out of man that make him impure." And he said [to his disciples]: «For from within, that is, from the hearts of men, evil intentions come: impurity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deception, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these bad things come out from within and make man impure."

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

"Pure and spotless religion before God the Father is this: visiting orphans and widows in suffering and not allowing oneself to be contaminated by this world." These words taken from the letter of the apostle James come to us precisely on this Sunday in which we also remember the feast of Saint Giles, a holy monk who lived in the south of France in the 8th century and whose devotion, during the Middle Ages, it spread throughout Europe, starting from its monastery and the many places of worship, including the church and monastery in Rome from which the Community took its name. The legend that speaks of his life shows the works of this man of God who wanted to live a "pure religion" at the service of the poor and needy, putting the Gospel into practice. Jesus condemns the distance of men's hearts from God. The Lord became close to his people: «What great nation has the gods so close to it, as the Lord, our God, is close to us every time we call on him? ». If God is so close, it is truly unacceptable for men to address him only with external gestures without the heart having the slightest vibration of affection. In this case, rituals and words are of no use. Jesus, connecting to the criticism of the lack of ablutions, clarifies what is truly impure, that is, not suitable for God. Nothing created is unsuitable for God; nothing is impure. Impurity, in fact, is not in things but in the heart of man: «From within, that is, from the hearts of men, evil intentions come out: impurity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deception, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, foolishness." Jesus means that evil does not arise by chance, the result of blind destiny. Evil has its terrain: the heart; and it also has its farmers: men. Everyone is a diligent grower in their heart of small or large quantities of bitter herbs that poison ours and the lives of others. We are responsible for the bitterness of this world, more or less; no one can get out of it. It is therefore from our heart that we must start to eradicate evil in this world. And obviously it is always in the heart that the good herbs of solidarity, friendship, patience, humility, piety, mercy and forgiveness must be planted. And the path to this plantation is marked by the Gospel: we remember the well-known parable of the sower who, early in the morning, went out to sow. Even in our days, faithfully and generously, that sower goes out and sows his seed abundantly. The apostle James, almost as a comment, adds: «Receive with docility the Word that has been planted in you and can lead you to salvation. Be those who put the Word into practice, and not just listeners, deluding yourselves."