The voice of Jesus.
Wonderful indeed is it, that thou darest invite Me to enter into such a heart, and to reside amid such uncleanness.
I seek a pure heart, and all My delight is to dwell therein; and to be there entertained among lilies. Whoever, therefore, loves cleanness of heart, shall enjoy My presence, and shall experience the tenderness, and Divine sweetness of My Heart.
Be not deceived, My Child, thinking that it is well with thee, provided thou dost outwardly deport thyself in a proper manner, since I look chiefly at the heart.
And what will it avail thee to have been pleasing by thy outward conduct, to all creatures, if, by thy inward dispositions, thou hast been displeasing to Me?
If thy heart is stainless, then shalt thou be wholly pure: since it is from the heart that proceed evil thoughts, uncleanness, fraud, blasphemy and all manner of evil.
Purify thy heart, therefore, and nothing shall hinder thee from being sweetly united to My Heart, and from tasting the fullness of Its delights.
But, if only outwardly thou turn away from evil, if thou do not root out sin from thy heart, thou shalt never be free from vices: they shall sprout forth with ten times greater vigor from within, than thou shalt be able to shun from without; and, whilst thou appearest to stand firm, thou shalt sink beneath the weight of inward evils.
Imitation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Chapter VI
No comments:
Post a Comment