A Pure Heart - Homily Reflection 1st Friday Mass/Adoration

A Pure Heart (Readings)

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people. The people were astonished, "Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is not his mother named Mary?

In the Catholic Church, the month of August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

For mothers, the nearest and dearest thing to their heart is their children. They carried them in their womb, under their hearts. The Blessed Virgin Mary carried God under her heart.

This devotion to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a devotion to her interior life and all that is found in her most Immaculate Heart.

It is her joys and sorrows,

Her virtues and hidden perfections,

And, above all, her pure and immaculate love for God the Father,

Her immaculate and maternal love for her son Jesus,

And her compassionate love for all people.

At this time, we are asked to devote ourselves to the contemplation of one whose life and heart is so devoted to all that is Christ’s Church in this world.

A church filled with all things found in the interior life of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Immaculate Heart.

We are the Church.

We are a church of joys and sorrows,

A church of virtues and hidden perfections,

And, above all, we are a church that loves God the Father,

Expressed by and through our love for Jesus Christ,

And we share Christ by our compassion and love for all people.

At least, we like to say that, but, we have become complaisant. We know the church; it’s not perfect. We know the priest and ministers. They’re human. We forget that the Church is the LORD’s house.

So, we question and challenge. Some protest the teachings of the Church on morals, sin, and even the sacraments. They argue these are not what Jesus really meant. They are too strict. Many say the church is out of touch with the world.

Look at the world. Is that really a bad thing? 

And Jesus said, "A prophet has honor except in his native place and his own house."

When we ignore wrong, even in our own house, we do not honor the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We do not honor the Christ she carried under her Immaculate Heart as the infant Jesus.

Honor Christ; devote yourself to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Use her as an example for our hearts: a heart pure enough to be next to God. The world needs the pure heart.  Amen