“Almighty God, to you all hearts are open all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 355)
For those not familiar with the Episcopal liturgy the words above begin the service of the Holy Eucharist. Technically, this prayer is referred to as the Collect of Purity. I think of it more like a white-knuckle time and hang in there.
Seriously, all hearts are open. Maybe open. Kind of open. But in full transparency, my heart is pretty clogged-up. Obviously, I am not referring to cholesterol but the spiritual heart is not something we consider a cardiologist would examine. To open our heart is sometimes like a light shining on darkness. Light enters a tired heart, or a heart is feeling guilty, or having something to hide, such a prayer brings light to open the heart and scatter darkness.
The collect of purity is said for all to hear. It is an invitation to worship and to celebrate the presence of Christ in the broken bread. The prayer is by design to recognize an open heart where desires are formed and shaped. Again. desires are not necessarily pure. However, for those of us who are a bit neurotic, compulsive, or have slightly addictive habits, such desires of the heart can be problematic especially when directing the will. Ultimately, our desires when left on their own pull us away from the love of God and close our hearts.
Look at the prayer that cleanses our heart where “no secrets are hid.” No secrets? None? By keeping secrets from God, we tend to present a false-self. The integrity and honesty of this prayer is broken by the power of sin. It is sin that shows up, especially when showing a lack of gratitude. At the heart of the Eucharist is gratitude.
Today, now, especially in this season of Lent we are aware of the separation, the gap, that oftentimes exists in our relationship with God. It is more than hypocrisy when we worship with a closed heart. It is a state of our being. It is a human state which stands in need of more than correction. We need a Savior from our sin.
God gives us the Holy Spirit so we may be inspired (in-spiritus) by the Spirit to “perfectly love and magnify God.” This begins with our faith which is a form of trust. By trusting God and our relationship with God, we position ourselves to love God with open hearts where the Holy Spirit enters our very being.
Yes, Lent is a time for changes. It provides us with an opportunity to worship with open hearts. The Holy Spirit enters our hearts and cleanses us of sin which further strengthens our faith and our desire to trust in God.
Trust leads us to an empty tomb joining all the company of heaven, worthily magnifying God’s holy name, trusting with open hearts in the Risen Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ.
