Let us pray for purity.
Purity is a complicated word in the modern lexicon. Many people dive directly into that small three letter work, “SEX” as soon as they hear purity but the Catholic Church has a deeper and fuller understanding of why purity and more directly being pure in heart is a pathway of understanding and living the will of God more fully and completely in our day to day relationships.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God.” (Mt 5:8)
Purity in Heart, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#2345, 2520) reminds us that this gift is given through the grace of baptism. It is as always the understanding where when we struggle for purity in heart we are choosing to seek the face of God in those around us.
What does it look like when we begin to pray for purity in heart for those we love, those we know and even ourselves?
Well, if you are like me, the first thing that occurs whenever I begin to pray for another person, whatever the reason, a big mirror forms in front of my minds eyes. It always has the same question on it: And how are you doing? This moment draws me into some deeper self reflection as I pray for others about the aspect of life for which I am praying. An example might be when I pray, as I often do, for generosity of others in stewardship of time, talent and treasure, which in turn begins to offer reflections into my own life of stewardship. Is my tithing truly sacrificial or done out of fear? Have I spent my time well in ministry and prayer? How have I helped our community grow using the gifts God has shared with me? If I can begin to answer those questions in my own heart, mind and soul then I am better able to see others in and their stewardship in the light of Jesus Christ rather than as a utilitarian desire for more.
This is where purity in heart becomes a fulcrum of looking at all our relationships both personal and in general. When we pray for purity we seek to see the face of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the people we encounter and in the world we live in. In this way we pray that those for who we pray for will see in us the purity of intention and the grace of blessing in our actions and relationships with others. If we are at work or school we may ask: Is what we do done in service of others or just for pay? When I help another in my daily life we may ponder: Is our service done for selfless motives or to be noticed by others?
And certainly in our life of faith: Is our ministry and prayer in family and Church done for Jesus Christ or for prestige? The motives of purity begin to surface very quickly.
When we choose to live “pure in heart” then we “shall see God”! What a promise to receive and experience in our lives. This is not a sentimental idea but a powerfully transforming reality where the presence of God in the Most Holy Trinity begins to infuse each and every part of our lives, from suffering to joy, for celebration to sadness, from despair to hope with grace filled blessings of life and love. It is training our hearts to know where the poor and dying on the streets of Calcutta are transformed into figures of Jesus Christ as St. Mother Theresa knew and held lovingly day after day. It is with eyes trained for beauty, where looking out into the awesome beauty of the Yosemite Valley, we like Ansel Adams, see the moment and location, perfect in creation, where he focussed and took one more picture capturing God’s creative glory and our hearts are captured by God. It is where we have trained our ears to hear as we sit around the dinner table with family/friends and in listening to their words we have learned to be attentive to God’s words that flow from their mouths in moments of true grace transforming the simple meal into a Eucharistic celebration.
Let us pray for purity as we place our trust in God and in the hope that all people will seek to be as Jesus Christ calls…”Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
God Bless
Fr. Mark

For “A parent Who Prays” by Katie Warner

Purity: We can think of purity for ourselves and children in three ways: Purity of mind, Purity of body and Purity of soul. Purity of mind is to place our thoughts always directed towards the betterment of the others in our lives. Purity of body is the gift of modesty in action and in dress. Purity of soul is to act with the intention of doing good and helping others to do good in their lives
Bringing the Intention into your family/relationships
We will hear this many times in our lives: Am I living as I am praying? Will my children/parents or friends no my purity of mind, body and soul by my actions daily? Share a story of how difficult it is to live life in a pure and holy way.
Discussion starter:
When I hear the word purity, I think…..
One way I will practice and pray for purity is…
Who is St. Maria Goretti???
Spiritual Bouquet:
Share your prayers for each other for purity of mind, body and soul for your children/parents/friends