A MATTER OF THE HEART

(Thursday, October 3)

The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Lk 6: 45)

So, I must see to it that I’m not hoarding “evil treasure” in my heart. What is that? For one thing, it’s resentments, toward certain people, toward certain institutions, toward myself, and toward God. When left unhealed, or buried deep in my heart, resentments lead me to feel and to speak ill about certain people and things as they are, from an abundance of ingratitude, self-centeredness, fear, and other “evil treasure” they bring with them into my heart.

But let me not be discouraged, if my “mouth” has thus exposed some “evil treasure” in my heart. Today let me start replacing it with “good treasure,” like gratitude, compassion, faith, and forgiveness, which are always on offer to all of us from “the Treasury of good things/blessings,” the Holy Spirit. Let me accept people and things as they are, by letting His grace into my heart, – that I may see things in His light, rather than how I imagine or fear they should be. It’s not an overnight process, this whole business of collecting “good treasure,” but I can turn things around today, and start clearing away the “evil” kind. “O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Good Things, and Giver of Life – come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One!”