Sixteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

“I am coming to you in a dense cloud, so that when the people hear me speaking with you, they may always have faith in you also.” When Moses, then, had reported to the LORD the response of the people, the LORD added, “Go to the people and have them sanctify themselves today and tomorrow. Make them wash their garments and be ready for the third day; for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.”

We all need to prepare ourselves for God’s Presence in our lives. We can do this in many ways from daily prayers to acts of sacrifice, but most effective is through the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation. When we go to God with contrite hearts, admit our sins, and accept His Mercy, we become spiritually clean. We sanctify ourselves through confession and making a firm commitment to God to sin no more. We wash ourselves in the saving grace of Christ and ready our souls to receive God not only in our everyday experiences, but in the Eucharist. Preparing ourselves for God is something we need to do on a daily basis because God is always with us.

In what ways do we prepare ourselves for God’s Presence? How can we cleanse and sanctify ourselves? Are the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist at the core of who we are and how we act?

O Lord, sanctify and wash us with you Holy Spirit.

Amen.