HOW does a person with a pure heart look like? Does he/she look immaculately and decently dressed? It does not follow! This was pointed out during today’s sermon at the noontime mass at Sacred Heart Community.
Purity of heart, according to Father Gary does not depend on how one looks on the outside, but how one’s heart looks at other people. A pure heart looks with kindness and compassion at everyone. It does not envy nor judge. It is neither proud nor arrogant. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. A pure heart loves. Like Jesus loves.
One of the eight blessings or Beatitudes that Jesus spoke at the Sermon on the Mount goes, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” It is not enough that we clean up our act on the outside. Oftentimes, we do this because we care too much how we appear, or how people see us. “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” So, we ought to ask ourselves, what motivates us? What drives us? What is the preoccupation of our hearts?
We all stand naked before God. He sees everything, even our innermost thoughts desires. There is nothing hidden before Him. Indeed, He looks at our hearts. “From our hearts, are all the issues of life.”
Matthew 15:18-19 says, “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart and these defile them. For out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.” Yes, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Therefore, let us guard our hearts. With David, let us pray... “Create in me a clean heart Oh God, and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10
My dearest family and friends,
Do you desire to see God? (Not necessarily face-to-face, as I believe this can only happen after we die and go to heaven. And I bet, none of us will answer with an unequivocal “Yes,” if we are asked if we want to go to heaven and see God NOW.”
So, do you desire to see God? Do you long to be in His presence, be awestruck by His glory and be comforted by His grace? This is how John Piper describes how it is to see God.
If our answers to all these questions are a resounding Yes, then we need to work on having a pure heart. Throughout the day, check the status of our hearts, by praying or communicating with God.
Piper says, “To be pure in heart is to will one thing that is to seek the face of the Lord, to have a full and total allegiance to Him, and to pursue God with utter single-mindedness.”
God is the one who purifies the heart and the instrument with which He cleans it is Faith. Therefore, let us trust the Lord with all our heart, and pray that He will increase our Faith. This I pray for each of you, and myself as well, that we may see God.