A New Heart Create in Me

First Friday of Lent... Pizza on the menu (typical but easy) and the kids are over the moon. Sadly, they could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I used to make my own pizza and I'm thinking I really need to start to get back into doing that!  While I look up good pizza recipes I will leave you with a little something to chew on for the weekend.

Dad did reflections for Share the Word, a publication through the Paulist's in Washington D.C.  He did this for a few years and of course he saved all of them.  

Here is the reflection from March 10, 2000, based off of the readings for that day.  I love the image of placing our hearts on the altar -- WOW! 

Friday, March 10, 2000

Isaiah 58:1-9a ~ Psalm 51:3-6, 18-19 ~ Matthew 9:14-15

“My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled you will not spurn.”  Psalm 51:19

Whenever the Offertory Procession at Mass passes by the pew where I am sitting I imagine myself hopping onto the gifts being brought to the altar.  I offer my heart.  At times it seems so puny, so constricted as compared to the heart of God.  It is a heart that can let so little of God’s love in.  It is a heart that can let out so little love to others.  As the bread and wine are offered in sacrifice, I want my heart to be placed on the altar.  These simple elements are transformed by the action of the Holy Spirit into the very life of Christ.  I know God will not spurn my heart which I want to be transformed so that it beats with all the intensity of Christ’s Sacred Heart.

Show me, God, how my heart needs to be unblocked.  Begin to transform my heart so that it is more like yours.