First Wednesday of Lent

A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. 

It can be difficult to have a steadfast spirit in the world. We are constantly tempted by sins, bombarded by distractions, and struggling with our weaknesses. It can be very spiritually draining to fight off these things over and over again, especially our bad habits. Evil thoughts can weigh our hearts down and lead us astray. However, the beautiful thing about being Christians is the knowledge that God wants to forgive us and will do everything He can to save us. He will grant us mercy and graces to help us overcome every spiritual obstacle. Through the sacraments, He renews our spiritual reserves and makes it possible for us to avoid sins, ignore distractions, and conquer our weaknesses. He will not spurn us if we come to Him.

What sins, distractions, and weaknesses do we need to overcome? How can we do so with the help of the sacraments? What can we do to help others to conquer their obstacles to holiness?

O Lord, create a clean heart within us and renew our spirits.

Amen.