Thought of the Day September 5, 2019 The intention of the heart
"Blessed are the pure of heart, they will see God."
This beatitude focuses on the true
intention of the heart of the person. Why am I doing what I am doing? Am I
doing it out of love of God, to please God or am I doing it to be seen by
others or to ingratiate myself to others?
“All our actions are honest and
pleasing in the presence of God if they are done with a sincere heart, that is,
with love as their goal.... Thus, it is not so much the action that must be
considered but the intention with which it is done."
A little later on in Matthew’s Gospel,
Jesus applies this beatitude to fasting, almsgiving and praying. These
religious acts were done by some to be seen and praise by others, rather than
as a sign of one’s relationship with God. External piety without being
interiorly genuine. This is the sin of hypocrisy a sin that is most powerfully
denounced by God in the Bible.
Jesus applies the same criticism
against some of the scribes and Pharisees of his day who pride themselves on
their outward observance of the law but in Jesus’ observation were inwardly
void spiritually. They saw themselves more religious than the rest of the
population as was seen in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican praying
in the Temple.
About the Author
0 comments