The Challenge to clean the Heart

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season : 10th Week :  Monday*

*Gospel : Mt 5:1-12*

*First Reading : 2 Cor 1:1-7*

*Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.*

*The Challenge to clean the Heart*

*1) The Wickedness of the Heart*

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? - Jeremiah 17:9-10

These are the Words which are found in the Book of Jeremiah. So one can know the gravity of the heart, when it becomes evil in its nature 

*2) Jesus on Human Heart*

In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says 

*For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.*

Further Jesus says  *These are what make a man `unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him `unclean.'"*

Matthew 15 :19-20

*3) Call of Jesus*

*For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls*. Matthew 11:29

We also have a prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus *Jesus meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like yours*

So the heart of Jesus is the Model to be followed in forming our hearts  to become like Jesus 

*4) The Challenge to clean the Heart*

From the Scriptures we understand the real nature of the Heart 

On one way, there is a lot of wickedness and evil things which are found in the Human heart 

So this really poses a great challenge to every one in the process of cleaning the heart 

Unless we really make an effort to clean our heart, we will not succeed in our work 

*5) The Signs of wicked Heart*

Since every word that comes from the mouth of man, has its base in the heart, the following things show that a person has wicked heart 

The person who gossips and spoils the name of the other 

The person who always tells lies and cheats others 

The person who carries with him/her the hypocrisy in different levels 

The person who uses the bad and ugly words while one expresses the anger 

One who creates trouble for others when they see the good works in others 

A jealousy person has the evil heart 

A person who wrongly accuses another person has the evil heart 

A proud, and a indifferent person has the evil heart 

*6) June is a Heart Month*

In June we have a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, since the Month is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus 

This devotion motivates us to clean our heart, by asking Jesus to make our heart like Jesus 

This devotion will really help us to clean our heart and the personality 

*7) Clean Heart can see God*

In the Boiling water we can see nothing 

But the water which is very cool, can reflect our own image 

Likewise a heart which boils with evil things can never see God. But a heat which is clean can see God in everything. 

Clean heart can see God in others, God in the needy, God in the poor, God in the nature and God in everything

What type of heart I have?

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*