“Create
a clean heart in me, O God and put a new and right spirit within me." I
find it really interesting that the psalmist does not say to purify my heart or
cleanse my heart, but rather “create” in me a clean heart. The
psalmist emphasizes God’s creative action, the new life and the new creation
that we become through God. We
always emphasize in our baptismal right that we go into the waters of baptism
and die with Christ, and then rise to new life in him. It is
the concept that Evangelical Protestant Christians describe as being born
again, although we Catholics do not specifically use those same words. The
psalmist goes on to say – “A steadfast spirit renew within me.” In asking for a new spirit and a new heart,
the psalmist asks to renew the presence of both the human and the divine within
him, to renew that which is depraved and broken and disordered within him. May
we feel the divine energy of God flowing within us. May
we feel God’s divine energy guiding us and leading us on our journey. May
we feel God’s spirit infusing our lives.
This is a blog of homilies, reflections, and photos from a Roman Catholic priest serving in the Diocese of Jackson in the state of Mississippi. Currently, I am the pastor of Holy Savior in Clinton and Immaculate Conception in Raymond. I have served as Vicar General of the Diocese since July 2019. I also serve as Catholic chaplain in the federal prison in Yazoo City and the state prison in Pearl.
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