Create A Clean Heart in Me, O Lord
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

Several years ago, I turned the TV on, to look at the Oscars, and within two minutes I turned the set off. I was disgusted. Showing cleavage is one thing, but why women on these shows want to portray themselves to us like prostitutes, that is beyond me, and it offends my sense of taste. Let's talk about the senses. If we are to reach Heaven one day, we must, on earth, learn to control our senses. I admit that's a tall order, but it must be done. We must control our eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul. If we do not, we are weak. Satan loves weak people; with those he can get a foothold. So, knowing that, what do we do? We turn on the TV to look at R-rated movies because we need some excitement. That type of excitement will get us into Hell the fast way. Why? Because the brain retains images and when we really need a moment to quiet down inside, those images will come to haunt us. There is no way we can quiet down inside, think of spiritual things, meditate on the love of God when a whole flotilla of erotic images float by. So cut it out. Stop looking at what hurts us!

Then we must also learn to guard the use of our will. God has given us a tremendous gift: the human will. We can love God, and thus not sin, or sin less, but we can also deny him. That is our choice. It is an act of our will. I hope you will not deny Him. So why guard our will? Well, if you don't, you're in for serious trouble. Take those movies on TV, the ones a God-fearing person would not look at... and while you look at a scene that is titillating, you let your mind wander and suddenly you're imagining yourself in the scene on the TV, or worse yet, you think of some other person of the same or opposite sex, and you imagine what you can do with or to him or her... willing such an action is the same as committing the sin. Ergo,  we must guard the use of our wills.

Also, there are people who are where they're at, perhaps in the gutter, or maybe at least with one foot in church, aware of God's love but not deeply committed to Him, who opine that it's all God's will. The life they lead is God's will. "God gave us our senses to enjoy them." Watch out... that's all wrong. God gave us our senses for good reasons. Communication with the opposite sex, one of the uses of the senses, is God's gift to us, yes... but we are not allowed to use our senses in opposition to God's Will. Remember the ten commandments? God gave those to us to guide us through our lives. Climb out of that gutter, do it NOW. Not when you get old or retire, then it's so ingrained that you'll have a very tough time doing God's will. It will take great effort, firm commitment, and yes, it can be done! But don't wait. End this misery and repent.

We must guard what we allow ourselves to hear. If what we hear is detrimental to our interior life with Christ, then walk away from it, turn off the TV, or whatever action will maintain the level of peace within you.

The sense of touch must also be guarded. Either by touching yourself or another person, where it would be inappropriate will deny God's love for us. If you make someone's body your obsession, your idol - then you will think of nothing else and God will be denied.

We all want to go to Heaven, I would think... but if you fail to guard your senses, you will not get there. We live in a dangerous time, a time of upheaval in the world. Do not allow the evil in this world to penetrate you in any way. If you truly love God, then guard what you see, hear, touch, smell and guard the misuse of your will. Only in this way, will you sin less, and achieve that inner peace that's a precursor to Heaven.

May God bless you.

Fred Schaeffer, OFS 

December 9, 2021

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