"You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart." First Reading

We have just celebrated Heart/Valentine Day.

Lots of hearts and flowers everywhere. The heart resides in the depths of each human person.

As St. Exupery says, "It is only with the heart that one sees rightly."

The heart then is the font of love.

But when the heart becomes polluted, it is a wellspring for hatred.

And when hatred simmers deep within us we call that "a grudge."

The very word "grudge" has a toxic flavor does it not?

It is closely related to "sludge."

So today all three readings are about love for our neighbor.

And in the Gospel Jesus again says to us: "But I say to you...'

He raises the bar for the kind of love he challenges us to have.

And in the second reading St. Paul explains why:

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells wihin you?"

The Spirit of God dwelling deep in our hearts is incompatible with the sludge that is grudge.

And so we pray:

Holy Spirit purify our hearts

from the sludge that is grudge.

Make our hearts the wellspring

of an overflowing

and generous love.

Amen