Day 17:  Purity

Psalm 51:12 A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit.

God bestows more consideration on the purity of the intention with which our actions are performed than on the actions themselves. – St Augustine 

Chastity, or cleanness of heart, holds a glorious and distinguished place among the virtues, because she, alone, enables man to see God; hence Truth itself said, ‘Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.’  – St Augustine 

I recognize that, in my early youth, I went down a false path: the way of evil, which led me to ruin. I saw the world through the news, entertainment, and bad examples that most young people follow without giving them a thought – Alessandro Serenelli (the young man who stabbed Maria Goretti)

Freedom from anything that weakens or impairs or changes the nature of a being or its activity. Purity of faith means the absence of error what is contrary to the revealed truth; purity of intention is the exclusion of self-will in the desire to perform the will of God; purity of morals commonly refers to the virtue of chastity and therefore freedom from wrongdoing in sexual activity, but on a broader level it means the absence of misbehavior, especially in one’s external or publicly recognizable conduct. (Etym. Latin puritas, clearness, cleanness, uprightness.) (Source: Catholic Culture).

Saint Maria Goretti, Jesus, Mother Mary and St Joseph (Holy Family) are great models of purity. Holy Spirit grant us the grace to be pure in all our thoughts, words and actions and pleasing to God as He desires us to be. May our intentions always be pure, genuine and our actions offered up to God in thanksgiving for the greater glory of God.

Let us pray for the grace to reject impurity of all kind and always be mindful of the price paid by Jesus Christ with His own precious blood and holy wounds to redeem mankind from sin and slavery to sin. Specially in these times all have to make a conscious choice and decision to choose to be pure. Set healthy boundaries and guardrails on all the senses, activities, consumption of content, media and technology (any other sources that can be an open door to impurity).

Are all my works done with pure intentions only for the glory of God? 

How do I continue to grow in virtue of purity of heart, conquer passions of the flesh and vices contrary to purity?

Do I pray regularly that all my thoughts, words and actions are always pure and pleasing to Him? 

Prayer: Give to me, O Lord God, a watchful heart, which no capricious thought can lure away from You. Give to me a noble heart, which no unworthy desire can debase. Give to me a resolute heart, which no evil intention can divert. Give to me a stalwart heart, which no tribulation can overcome. Give to me a temperate heart, which no violent passion can enslave. Give to me, O Lord my God, understanding of You, diligence in seeking You, wisdom in finding You, discourse ever pleasing to You, perseverance in waiting for You, and confidence in finally embracing You. (From the Prayer of St Thomas Acquinas, Prayer to Order life wisely, Source: Aleteia)

Psalm 24:3, 4 Who may go up the mountain of the Lord? Who can stand in his holy place? The clean of hand and pure of heart,  who has not given his soul to useless things, what is vain.

Psalm 73:1 How good God is to the upright, to those who are pure of heart!

Math 5:8 Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

• Litany of the Holy Spirit
• 500 Praises to the Holy Spirit (Pray a few of them as you can)
• Spiritual testament of Alessandro Serenelli