Sometimes the thought can come: “The Lord does not answer me because I have committed many falls. I feel impure.” Have we ever truly asked what it means to be pure, according to the Scriptures?
Sometimes, along the journey of searching for God’s Will, someone can think they are worthy, pure, or able to respond to such a calling. Or, they may think “it is not possible for God to call me to religious life knowing that I have committed so many errors in life,” feeling impure for such a call.
But have we ever really asked what it means to be pure?
Here is a luminous explanation – or “key of reading,” if you will – from our founder, Friar Volantino Verde. So, taking two passages from Sacred Scripture, we can see what they tell us:
“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” (Matt 5:8)
“The upright will see the face of God” (cf. Ps 10:7)
Therefore, whoever is pure is upright, sincere, far from lies, transparent; as for example, my spiritual father pointed out: Saint Paul persecuted Christians thinking that it was the will of God. Despite the error, he acted with uprightness; the Lord, seeing this uprightness, made him fall from the horse (as popular tradition says), and there he saw a great light, seeing the Lord in some way, on the Straight Road of Damascus – we could say, on the road of upright intention – as in fact it’s written: “The Lord gives grace and glory and does not withhold any good thing to those who walk without reproach.” (cf. Ps 84:12)
For this reason, Jesus Himself says: “It is not what enters the mount that makes man impure, but that which comes out from it,” (cf. Matt 15:11) for that is what comes from man’s heart.
One could ask: “How could a young person keep their life pure? By heeding Your Word” … because “I keep Your Words in my heart, that I may not offend you in sin.” (cf. Ps 119:9,11)
Therefore, to try to be pure, in the light of these Scripture passages, means to act with uprightness, with sincerity, with transparency, according to what the Scriptures teach us; and if we sin, we confess with a Catholic priest, and in this way the Lord helps us understand all the more His will in us.