The Jews of Jesus' time were very particular about the cleanliness of the food they ate. This was not for hygienic but for religious reasons. Certain foods, however clean in themselves, were regarded as ritually unclean and made the one who ate them also unclean. A person who scrupulously observed the regulations about eating 'clean' food was a good person, a holy person. Jesus turns this on its head. It is not what goes into a person that makes them unclean but what comes out of them in the shape of thoughts, words and actions and He gives a long list of the evil things which people can do. We may easily find ourselves guilty of some of them. And, where we are concerned, it can happen that we are scrupulously regular in carrying out all our religious duties (Mass, prayers, Rosary, novenas, etc) and yet our behaviour may leave very much to be desired. We need to remember that our closeness to God is measured by the quality of our relationships with others, relationships built on real love and concern for the needs of those around us. Today, let us ask Our Lady of Lourdes to have some of that love which bound her so closely to her Son in all that she said and did.