DAILY HOMILIES #heart

To avoid self-deception, Jesus says, “First, clean the inside of the cup.” In other words, the first step to becoming His true followers is to look honestly at ourselves, acknowledge the dirt within our hearts, and clean them up. The problem is that, like the scribes and Pharisees Jesus condemned, we always try to do the opposite; we clean the outside and abandon the inside.

The contents of your mind today mirror what your life will be like tomorrow. To create anything, that thing has to first exist in your mind (imagination); our minds have creative power. We can choose what becomes of us simply by choosing our thoughts.

The heart of Jesus is like that of a mother towards her child; she is ready to do whatever it takes to protect the child. Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God says: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15).

To have faith is to be assured of God’s protection even when all you see with your eyes is danger. To believe in God is to be convinced that God sees and knows what to do regardless of your present circumstances. A good athlete exercises faith to win a race by visualising themselves holding the medal even before the race starts. To have faith is to pray and work, trusting that God will bless your work and make it fruitful.

Those who accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub believed in Beelzebub’s power. Some Christians are quick to ascribe misfortunes to the devil’s power but find it very hard to believe that God is capable of protecting them or granting their prayers.

Let us learn to be silent, even if it is just for a few minutes every day. And as we celebrate Christmas, it would help to play Zechariah by taking time for quiet reflection.

We learn from Ezekiel that if we fail to correct (win back) those going astray, God will hold us responsible for their soul. Nevertheless, in correcting them, we must do it with a spirit of love because, as St. Paul says, love is the only debt we owe others. Meanwhile, Jesus gives us the steps to follow in this process of winning back and reconciling with one another.

In today’s first reading, God instructs the people of Israel to consecrate themselves and wash their garments to prepare to behold His face. This experience sends a strong message: To meet God, one must prepare by cleansing oneself internally (of sins) and externally (of dirt). In other words, meeting God demands being in a State of Grace.

As we reflect on Mary’s Immaculate Heart, let us look at our hearts. Is my heart like that of Mary? What efforts am I making to guard my heart against all defilements of evil? Is my heart clean enough to accommodate God? Am I willing to listen to the truth and change my ways?

Learning from Jesus entails learning to forgive others. This is the yoke we must bear, but as Jesus says, it is easier than we think and is vital to finding rest for our souls. John tells us in today’s second reading, “Let us love one another (including our enemies), for he who does not love does not know God.” (1 John 4:7-8) If our hearts cannot love as Jesus loved, we have yet to learn from Him.

Never forget that God sees everything. Nothing is hidden from him, not even the secret thoughts and intentions of our hearts. It is better to be good than to pretend to be good. People may be clapping for you thinking you are good but when the time comes, your evil deeds will be exposed.

Food is good but not every food is good for you. No matter how hungry you are, ensure that what you are about to eat will not lead to your destruction. Learn to exercise self-discipline and caution. If you want to live a good life, start by selecting your thoughts just as you would select your food. As there are poisonous foods, so there are poisonous thoughts.