tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18842286.post113942366615767121..comments2024-02-26T09:30:54.111-06:00Comments on Domine, da mihi hanc aquam!: Defilement from within...Fr. Philip Powell, OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14970857401221305221noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18842286.post-1139498599310131232006-02-09T09:23:00.000-06:002006-02-09T09:23:00.000-06:00Given yesterday's Gospel, I took the old Votive Ma...Given yesterday's Gospel, I took the old Votive Mass "For Repelling Evil Thoughts" — one of my favourites. Explained it to the folks (i.e. my Benedictine nuns and their guests) this way: "When Holy Father Benedict speaks of “falling frequently to prayer,” he is, I think, referring to very brief, ardent prayers shot like arrows into the heart of God. Obstinacy in evil thoughts is incompatible with ceaseless prayer. Either one will stop praying or stop thinking the thoughts that poison our hearts. At times the battle rages. We feel ourselves assaulted, battered, and powerless against our own thoughts. At such moments our prayer is reduced to its simplest expression: a cry of help and of confidence, a plea for mercy.<BR/> The Roman liturgy - being so wonderfully in touch with human frailty - offers a remarkable set of Mass prayers entitled, “For Repelling Evil Thoughts.” We are in fact taking them for this Mass. What could be more appropriate to today's Gospel? The surest cleansing of our thoughts happens through participation in the Most Holy Eucharist. <BR/> One of the Roman Missal's prayers in preparation for Mass has the priest say, “Let thy good Spirit enter my heart, there to utter its silent music; let speech be hushed while it proclaims the whole truth of these great mysteries . . . . Free my heart those unholy, idle, and hurtful thoughts which defile it.” Conversion of manners is the fruit of conversion of thoughts. Conversion of thoughts is the fruit of the uplifted heart. With good reason does the Church make the priest raise his voice from the altar day after day, singing, “Let our hearts be lifted high.” Hold your hearts before the Lord, and in the fire of the Eucharist, begin to think new thoughts."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18842286.post-1139498362850055472006-02-09T09:19:00.000-06:002006-02-09T09:19:00.000-06:00Brilliant, Father! Thank you.Brilliant, Father! Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com