A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
The responsorial psalm for today’s Mass speaks volumes.
We all need to seek for clean hearts.
Clean hearts are hearts that seek the Lord and all of His ways over our own.
As humans, we begin life attempting to control it. We quickly learn what to do to get the attention of our parents. We know that a whimper, a cry, a shout will all net us guaranteed results.
And we use that.
We control our world as babies, as children, as teens, and as adults.
We want what we want.
We forget about wanting what God wants as we attempt to bend God’s will to ours.
But God does not work that way. He does not conform His will to ours.
Instead, He gently, yet persistently, invites us to conform our will to His.
It is much easier to do so if we have a clean heart!
FAITH ACTION: In silent prayer this day, repeat to yourself, “Jesus, meek and humble of heart. Make my heart like unto Thine.”