Word of Life

1. Word of Life February 2014

2. "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” (Mt 5,8).

3. Jesus began his preaching with the Sermon on the Mount. On a broad low hill a few hundred yards from the Tiberias lakeside, near Capernaum, Jesus sat down, as was the custom for teachers, and proclaimed the beatitudes to the crowds.

4. The word “blessed”, that is, the exaltation of those who fulfilled the Word of the Lord in a variety of ways, had already been used a number of times in the Hebrew Scriptures.

5. Christ’s beatitudes were in part an echo of the ones the disciples were already familiar with. For the first time, however, they were hearing that those persons who are pure of heart were not only worthy of going up the mountain of the Lord (cf. Psalm 24:4), but they could also see God.

6. What sublime purity was this that could merit so much? Jesus would explain it several times in the course of his preaching. Let us follow him then, so as to draw from the fount of authentic purity.

7. "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”(Mt 5,8).

8. First of all, Jesus pointed out that there is one supreme means of purification: “You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you”.

9. More than the practice of religious rites, his Word purifies man’s inner self. The Word of Jesus is not like human words.

10. Christ is present in his Word, as he is present--although in another way--in the Eucharist. Through his Word Christ enters within us and, provided we allow him to act, he can free us from sin and therefore, make us pure of heart.

11. Thus, purity is the fruit of living the Word, all the Words of Jesus which free us from those attachments, into which we inevitably fall if our heart is not centered on God and on his teachings.

12. These attachments could be to things, other people, or ourselves. However, if our heart is focused on God alone, all the rest falls away.

13. To help achieve this, it can be useful for us to repeat throughout the day, to Jesus, to God, the invocation of a Psalm which says: “You, Lord, are my only good”.

14. Let us try to repeat it often, especially when various attachments seek to pull our heart towards those images, sentiments and passions which can blur the vision of good and take away our freedom.

15. Are we tempted to look at certain billboards, to watch certain television programs?

16. No, let’s repeat to him: “You, Lord, are my only good”. Re-affirming our love for God will be the first Step to going out of ourselves. And by doing so we will have gained in purity.

17. At times, do we feel that a person or an activity is coming between us and God, like an obstacle that disturbs our relationship with him?

18. That’s the moment to repeat: “You, Lord, are my only good.” This will help to purify our intentions and regain inner freedom.

19. "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”(Mt 5,8).

20. Living the Word makes us free and pure because the Word is love. The divine fire of love purifies our intentions and all our inner self, because the Bible considers the “heart” as the deepest seat of our intelligence and will.

21. Now there is one kind of love which Jesus commands us to practice and which enables us to live this beatitude. It is mutual love, being ready to give our life for others, following the example of Jesus.

22. It creates a current, an exchange of love, and an atmosphere whose dominant note is precisely that of transparency, of purity, because of the presence of God, who alone can make us pure of heart. It is by living mutual love that the Word produces its effects of purification and sanctification.

23. As isolated individuals we are incapable of resisting for long the solicitations of the world. Instead, mutual love provides a healthy environment that can protect the whole of our authentic Christian existence, and in particular, our purity.

24. “"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”(Mt 5,8)

25. These then are the fruits of purity, constantly re-acquired: we can “see” God, that is, we can understand his action in our own life and in history; we can hear his voice in our hearts; we can discern his presence in the poor, in the Eucharist, in his Word, in brotherly communion, and in the Church.

26. We can have a foretaste of the presence of God which already begins in this life, “for we walk by faith, not by sight”, but later “we will see face to face” for all eternity.

27. "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” (Mt 5,8). Isinulat ni Chiara Lubich