NOVEMBER 1999

 "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."
(Mt 5:8)

    Jesus begins his preaching with the Sermon on the Mount. On a broad low hill a few hundred yards from the Tiberias lakeside, near Capharnaum, Jesus sits down, as was customary for teachers, and pronounces the beatitudes to the crowds. The word "blessed," that is, the exaltation of those who fulfilled the Word of the Lord in a variety of ways, resounded a number of times in the Hebrew Scriptures.

   The beatitudes of Jesus were in part an echo of the ones the disciples already knew. For the first time, however, they were hearing that the pure of heart were not only worthy of going up the mountain of the Lord, as sung by the Psalm (cf. Psalm 24:4), but they could even see God. What sublime purity was this that could merit so much? Jesus would explain it several times during the course of his preaching. Let us try to follow him then so as to draw from the fount of authentic purity.

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."

    First of all, Jesus says that there is one supreme means of purification: "You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you" (Jn 15:3). His word, more than the practice of religious rites, purifies man’s inner self. The word of Jesus is not like human words. Christ is present in his word, as he is present, although in another way, in the Eucharist. Through his word Christ enters within us and, provided we allow him to act, he makes us free from sin and therefore, pure of heart.

    Thus, purity is the fruit of living all the words of Jesus. They free us from the so-called attachments, into which we inevitably fall if our heart is not in God and in his teachings. These could be attachments to things, people, ourselves. But if our heart is focused on God alone, all the rest falls away.

    To achieve this, it can be useful to repeat throughout the day, to Jesus, to God, the invocation of a Psalm which says: "You, Lord, are my only good" (cf. Psalm 16:2)! Let us try to repeat it often, especially when attachments of many kinds seek to pull our heart towards those images, sentiments and passions which can blur the vision of good and take away our freedom.

    Are we inclined to watch unwholesome television programs? No, let’s repeat to him: "You, Lord, are my only good." Re-declaring our love for God will be the first step towards going out of ourselves. And by doing so we will have gained in purity.

   Do we sometimes feel that a person or an activity is coming between us and God, like an obstacle that mars our relationship with him? It is the moment to repeat: "You, Lord, are my only good." This will help us to purify our intentions and regain inner freedom.

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."

    But there is one love which Jesus commands us to practice and which enables us to live this beatitude. It is mutual love, being ready to give our life for others, following the example of Jesus. This love creates a current, an exchange, an atmosphere whose dominant note is precisely that of clarity, purity, because of the presence of God. He alone can make us pure of heart. It is by living mutual love that the word produces its effects of purification and sanctification.

   As isolated individuals we are incapable of resisting at length the solicitations of the world. Instead, mutual love provides a healthy environment capable of protecting the whole of our authentic Christian existence and, in particular, our purity.

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."

    These then are the fruits of purity, constantly reacquired: we can "see" God, that is, we can understand his action in our own life and in history; we can hear his voice in our heart; we can discern his presence in the poor, in the Eucharist, in his word, in brotherly communion, in the Church.

    It is a foretaste of the presence of God which already begins in this life, "for we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7), but which then "we will see face to face" (1 Cor 13:12) for all eternity.

Chiara Lubich

1) Lv 19:18; 2) Shabb. 31a; 3) Rabbi Akiba, Slv. 19:18; 4) 1 Jn 4:20; 5) Rm 5:5; 6) Cf. Mt 25:40; 7) Cf. Wilhelm Muhs, Parole del cuore, Milan 1996, p. 82.

The commentary to the Word of Life is translated in 90 different languages and dialects, and reaches more than 14 million people worldwide, through the press, and radio and TV programs. If you would like to read experiences of life related to this or to past "Words of Life," they can be found in Living City magazine, the monthly publication of the Focolare Movement. For information, or to subscribe, write to: Living City, P.O. Box 837, Bronx, NY 10465. A book, From Scripture to Life, containing Words of Life with commentary by Chiara Lubich and related experiences of life is available through New City Press, the publishing house of the Focolare, 202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538.
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© 1999 - Living City of Focolare Movement - P.O. Box 837, Bronx, New York 10465

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