Make me new, Lord

Our meditation today comes from Psalm 51:12a

                Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Sometimes when we look back over the past with the sensitivities and conscience of the present, we realize that we had done something perhaps years ago that now fills us with guilt and contrition. “If only I knew then what I know now!” we might cry. Times like that are times to turn to Psalm 51, which is David’s Psalm of repentance after the prophet Nathan had opened his eyes to see what sins he had committed: fornication, adultery and murder. (You can read the entire story in II Samuel, chapters 11 and 12.) And David’s psalm of repentance and contrition is asking not only for forgiveness of sin, but also a healing of the emotional, physical and social consequences of his sin. (And of our sins as well.)

Create in me a clean heart: This is asking for a lot. It’s not only a question of forgiveness or cleansing; it is begging for something completely new by an act of God’s creative power. We might pray, “Create in me a new clean heart.”

And God promises to do this. Ezekiel 36: 25-27:  I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts.

One last thing: We pray this psalm frequently, and in the monastery usually on Fridays, the day of Christ’s passion. Again and again and again we need to beg for God’s creative action in our lives, because again and again and again we fall into sin. And God never tires of giving us what we ask for.

But sometimes we tire of asking.

Memories of the Lutherans

A good number of years ago, back in the 70’s, I served as organist and choir director in a Lutheran parish. I remember fondly my days with the Lutherans, and know that they had a profound effect on my spirituality. I know it was the first time I really heard a great emphasis placed on the love and mercy and forgiveness of God. I’m sure it was being preached about in my own Catholic parishes, but for some reason it had never gotten through to me. We are ready to hear and to learn what we are ready to hear and to learn, and God chooses the time and the place for our own soul-opening as well as the people He will use as instruments of faith in our life.

When I was with the Lutherans, it was time. Another thing I especially liked about the liturgy was that immediately after the sermon, we would sing the words to Psalm 51:

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew within me a steadfast spirit.

Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of your salvation

and with a spirit of fervor sustain me.

I could actually hear the music in my mind as I was typing those words which are very close to the Grail translation, but in the version we used to sing every week.

It meant a lot, that hymn, and still does. My faith at that time was lukewarm, but by the time I had finished my seven years service in two Lutheran parishes, I began working in a Catholic parish and my faith was now reasonably solid, a faith which led me to the doors of Saint Anselm Abbey a decade later.

I thank God for the journey I was given, and still pray for Him to create in me a clean heart.

I’ll comment more on these verses over the next couple of days.

God bless you.