THE HEART SPECIALIST
“More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it?” –Jeremiah 17:9
Mass Readings: March 16
First: Numbers 21:4-9; Resp: Psalm 102:2-3,16-21;Gospel: John 8:21-30
Because the human heart is more tortuous, twisted, and deceitful than all else and is beyond remedy, we should:
- give our hearts to the Lord, Who alone probes the mind and tests the heart (Jer 17:10),
- receive a new heart through Baptism (Ez 36:26),
- live our Baptism by loving the Lord with all our hearts (Mt 22:37),
- go to Confession frequently and regularly to prevent our hearts from becoming hardened (see Ps 95:8),
- learn from Jesus, for He is “gentle and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29),
- ask the Lord to heal our hearts, for He “is close to the brokenhearted” (Ps 34:19),
- worship the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and
- ask for the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Next Sunday at Mass, the Church will pray the “First Scrutiny” for hundreds of thousands of catechumens throughout the world. In this ancient prayer, we pray for the Lord to search, purify, heal, and strengthen the hearts of the catechumens. Let us pray this prayer also for our own hearts. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on me!
PRAYER: Father, thank You for the pierced heart of Jesus (see Jn 19:34).
PROMISE: “He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade.” –Ps 1:3
PRAISE: Carol turned to the Lord when her husband died, as they had done together while he lived.
