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By Father Mieczysław Piotrowski TChr,
To be able to love we must have a pure heart. The Movement of Pure Hearts (MPH) is a very concrete proposal to those who wish to accompany Christ on the difficult journey of purifying their hearts and growing in love. Jesus Christ is the heart and creator of this movement. In His merciful love He desires to heal all our wounds and spiritual ailments, to pick us up every time we fall into sin, to break the bonds of evil enslaving us, and to teach us the basic principles of working on ourselves, so that we may become loving people. There is no road to true happiness other than the one Christ points out to us and offers to lead us by. It is a hard and demanding road. “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mk 8:34-35). Above all, we must desire to take this road despite all the inner and external hardships, to cling to Jesus and thus, together with Him, to embark on the most glorious adventure life has to offer — an ascent to the highest spiritual peak called Love. Love is the supreme goal that gives supreme meaning to life. As Saint John of the Cross, one of the great masters of spiritual life, observes, “Only those travelers who carry nothing to drag them down can make such an arduous ascent to perfection…for here it is God alone that they attain to” What drags us down most is “the delight in riches, and the desire of other things” (Mk 4:19). For this reason, Jesus enjoins us: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also….Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or “What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” (Mt. (6:19-21; 31-33). The Son of God came into the world as a defenseless child born in the total poverty of a Bethlehem stable to impress upon us that it is “the poor in spirit” (Mt 5:3) who walk the way of purity and growth in love — not those who “trust in riches” (Mk 10:24). To become “poor in spirit” we must be prepared to renounce all the riches of this world and count them as so much refuse (cf. Phil. 3:8). That is why Jesus continually warns us: “Whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14: 33); “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have” (Heb. 13: 5); “For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs” (1 Tim 6:10). We must therefore renounce and strip ourselves of everything that enslaves and holds us captive; in other words, become poor in spirit. Only then can we engage in the great adventure of growing in love. Only then will our pure hearts be able to accept the infinite riches of Christ’s love. In entrusting themselves to Jesus Christ, all members of MPH pledge to follow Him by ordering, and exercising control over, their lives — in every area, not just their sexual life. For this, they need a daily plan that includes time for prayer, work, recreation, and rest. Every morning they will rise as soon as they wake up, kneel down, and say their morning prayers. They may also say the Prayer of Pure Hearts. Before washing and having breakfast, a brief period of simple physical exercise is recommended. When possible, on their way to work or school, they will attend Holy Mass or spend time before the Blessed Sacrament. Regular times will be set aside for praying the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, as well as reading at least a page of Holy Scripture. A daily reading from the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is highly recommended. Members of MPH will be demanding of themselves. They will not waste time watching television or surfing the net. They will remember that these are highly addictive activities. MPH members will study and work diligently. They will not give in to discouragement, but entrust all their worries to Jesus, for He truly cares about them (cf. Ps 5:7). They will forgive everyone and harbor no grudges. They will be witnesses to God’s mercy. “You must always and everywhere show mercy to your neighbor,” says Jesus to Saint Faustina. “You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it” (Diary, 742). Members of MPH will show mercy through prayer or by giving spiritual or material aid to those in need. They will remember the words of Jesus, “As you did it to the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). The daily plan will include time for the regular practice of sports or some other physical activity. Regular exercise is a powerful builder of character as well as being one of the best forms of active recreation. Members of MPH will set aside a few minutes every evening for an examination of conscience. They will look back on their day and evaluate how well they succeeded in realizing their plan. They will thank Jesus for any good they accomplished and ask His forgiveness for any deed omitted or sin committed. If they have committed a serious sin, they will remember that they are bound to go to confession as soon as possible, so as to remain in a state of sanctifying grace. They will set concrete goals for themselves. They will they disregard normal, everyday matters such as punctuality, custody of the tongue, tidiness, personal hygiene, keeping promises, helping others, controlling their negative emotions such as anger or impatience. It is conscientiousness in such ordinary matters that creates good habits and builds character. So much for reminders and encouragement. All those who wish to join the Movement of Pure Hearts will make known their desire to be a member of MPH by consecrating themselves to Jesus in the Prayer of Pure Hearts. They may do this in the silence of their own heart or together with a group of friends. Some will have fear and resistance to overcome. But they need not fear to cling to Christ, to entrust themselves to Him, that they may walk through life with Him without compromise, pledging to rise instantly from every lapse into sin! After a sincere confession and receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, they will once again entrust themselves to Him in the Prayer of Pure Hearts. The Prayer of Pure Hearts Lord Jesus, I am thankful that You love me with a love that rights the greatest wrongs and heals the most hurtful wounds. I offer You my memory, my mind, my soul, my body, my sexuality. I promise not to engage in sexual acts until I am united with my spouse in the Sacrament of Marriage. From this day on, I will not read, buy, or watch pornographic materials. [Here, girls may wish to add:] I promise to dress modestly and in no way to arouse lustful thoughts or desires in others.] I solemnly promise to meet You every day in prayer, scriptural meditation, frequent reception of Holy Communion, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. I also pledge to avail myself regularly of the Sacrament of Penance, not to give in to discouragement, and to pick myself up immediately after every lapse into sin. Dear Jesus, teach me to work systematically on myself, to control my sexual desires and emotions. Give me the courage to “swim against the current” in my daily walk through life. Help me to avoid everything that weakens and enslaves the will: nicotine, alcohol and drugs. Teach me to place love at the center my life. Mary, my Mother, guide me in faith, to the very source of Love, to Jesus, that I may trust and believe in Him alone. After the example of Servant of God, John Paul II, I desire to entrust myself entirely to you: Totus Tuus, Mary! Blessed Karolina, procure for me the gift of a pure heart. Amen! Dear Members of MPH! Say this prayer every day, to recall to mind your pledge and to incorporate it into your life. Pray the words of the Prayer of Pure Hearts especially at times when you feel discouraged and tempted. Remember: “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Kor. 10:13). Please inform Love One Another Magazine in writing of your decision to join the Movement of Pure Hearts. Send us your address, date of birth, and also the date that you joined the MPH community. This way we can send you a special blessing and enroll you in our Book of Pure Hearts. It is Christ’s wish that you write down and send us your testimonies, share the treasure of your faith, and help others in making the decision to entrust themselves to Christ, and thus embark on the great adventure of growing in love and fighting for a pure heart. Every day at 7 a.m. we pray the rosary and, at 3 p.m., the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for your intentions. The prayer of pure hearts, flowing from faith, opens us up to the healing power of the God of Mercy and a participation in it. Let us remember one another in prayer every day. May the joy of the faith enkindle in our hearts a burning love of Jesus, who became true man, taking upon Himself the entire drama of human life marked by sin, suffering, and death, only so as to save and lead us to heaven.
Fr. M. Piotrowski & the editorial team The above article was published with permission from Miłujcie się! in November 2010
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