Every February, the health and fitness industry celebrates American Heart Month to remind us to examine the physical health of our hearts. This year, our Lenten season begins on Valentine’s Day. As we prepare for Easter and reflect upon God’s great love for us, it is important to also check the spiritual health of our hearts.
“God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The Lord looks into the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Our heart is the center of our being. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
“The heart is the dwelling-place where I am, where I live; according to the Semitic or Biblical expression, the heart is the place ‘to which I withdraw.’ The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of others; only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter, because as image of God we live in relation: it is the place of covenant” (CCC 2563).
Jesus teaches us that “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Having a clean and pure heart “refers to those who have attuned their intellects and wills to the demands of God’s holiness” (CCC 2518). A heart single-focused on God and filled with love has no room for depraved tendencies. “From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly” (Mark 7:21-22). If we whole-heartedly open ourselves to God, then sin and other worldly distractions cannot blind us to Him. Pope Francis explains that “The journey from a sick heart, from a sinful heart, from a heart that cannot see things well because it is in sin, to the fullness of the light of the heart, is the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the one who guides us to take this journey. Through this journey of the heart, we can achieve ‘seeing God.’”
With eternal love for us, the Lord wants us to have holy hearts. He says, “I will sprinkle clean water over you to make you clean; from all your impurities and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you so that you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them” (Ezekiel 36:25-27).
Saint Paul notes that “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). Our spiritual heart receives this infusion of divine love–the lifeblood of our Christian existence–and pumps it through every fiber of our being. Animated by God’s charity, we are enabled to pour out our human love to God and to others. These are the two most important things we can do (Mark 12:30-31, Matthew 22:37-40).
Our ability to give and receive love separates us from other creatures and prepares us for eternal life with the Lord. Pope Francis adds: “To see God means understanding the design of Providence in what happens to us, to recognize His presence in the Sacraments, His presence in our brothers and sisters, especially the poor and the suffering, and to recognize God there where He manifests Himself.” Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that “when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received–only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”
As a tribute to God’s infinite love for us, we will explore heart-themed devotions in our “Weekly Challenge” section this month. Through these devotions to God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph, we revere their love and suffering and conform our hearts to God. Please feel free to comment on the transformative power of love and your favorite sacred devotions.
Best wishes for a blessed Lent filled with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to purify your heart and draw you closer to God!
