Create a clean heart in me, O God

Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor liers with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Dearest friend, I hope you do not recall too well, but lust is a difficult sin. It coarsens the mind and impairs judgment, so that the addled soul may try to make excuses for its sin, if it has left room for thought at all. It leaves the sinner forgetful of God, and makes him unkind to any who might get in the way of his self-destruction. It manipulates and destroys souls. It is the most common of sins.

Where other sins repulse witnesses, lust can ensnare and poison them, too, particularly in this morally-disordered pseudo-therapeutic talk-show age of ours, where virtue is so lightly regarded and poorly learned. This is the age in which you and I have been formed. How deeply did we breathe in the spirit of the age?

Let us pray that we might receive a better spirit. Let us pray for the grace to decisively set aside unchastity and all sin, and to live the life of grace. What a small thing it is to not embrace sin, to live a simple, holy life, but we have made it difficult. May we do better henceforth. And if the judgment of God falls on us, and His correction is hard to endure, let us remember that God chastises those He loves only to prepare them for greater joy.

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined: and I will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say: Thou art my people: and they shall say: The Lord is my God.

Zechariah 13:9

Heavenly Father, we have sinned against heaven, and before Thee, and are not worthy to be called thy children. By thought, by word, by look, by action we have scorned Thy word and now face Thy dread judgment. What hope do we have, when our sins, so numerous, are always before thee, and Thy law fixed and eternal?

Have pity on us, Thy poor servants, remember our weakness, and not because of any goodness in us, but because of Thine Own goodness, and for the love of the Sacred Heart of our Savior, grant us Thy forgiveness.

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¹ Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
³ For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
⁵ Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
⁹ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
¹² Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
¹³ Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
¹⁶ For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
¹⁸ Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

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Saint Julia, holy virgin, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, lily of chastity and temperance, pray for us.

Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8