St Thomas Aquinas | 28 January 2021

Today is Thursday the 28 January, the feast of St Thomas Aquinas, in the 3rd week of Ordinary Time.

The Dunedin Consort sings Mache dich, mein Herze, rein from Bach’s St Matthew Passion:  Mache dich, mein Herze, rein.  ‘Make my heart pure.’

We tend not to think of ourselves, as pure, just because the bad feelings in our own hearts – anger, spite, impatience – are so plain to us. But what is a pure heart?  It is a heart that is open to God, that wants whatever God wants. I purify my heart whenever I ask God to show me the way, whenever I surrender my will to God’s will. And I can do that, now.

Today’s reading is from the letter to the Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:19-25

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Only the High Priest of the Temple was permitted to enter through the curtain into the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence dwelt. 

When Jesus died, the curtain was torn from top to bottom. A symbol of Christ removing the barrier between us and God. We hear in today’s passage that we now have confidence to enter the sanctuary, into the presence of God. Do you feel that you have the confidence?

In the quiet, just as you are,  without this barrier, know that God is present with you. Enjoy being in God’s presence.

The Hebrews are told to hold fast to their confession of hope, for, ‘He who has promised is faithful.’ During this time of pandemic, do you believe this at the moment…that God is faithful? Spend a moment sharing honestly with the Lord.

Listen again to the reading…

Return for a moment to the quiet place of simply knowing God’s holy presence with you; the one who is faithful; the One who knows you and loves you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.