Today’s gospel reading reminds us of the importance of having an interior disposition towards God in our life. While rituals and traditions are good, they can only be helpful if our heart is oriented towards God. But this interior disposition means nothing if it does not show itself in action. The purity that we are invited to as disciples of Jesus is one that emanates from our heart and that is manifested by our love for our neighbor. Ironically, this might mean getting dirty or as Pope Francis says, ‘getting our shoes muddied.’ The purity that the gospel advocates is one of being engaged with the messiness of our world, of fighting for justice and equity, of advocating for peace and reconciliation, of respecting human life in all its forms, of caring for the environment etc.