Pure Heart
Pure Heart is a term used by many different spiritual beliefs.
The Catholic Church and some other Christians use the term to name a condition near to Salvation. The Roman Catholic Church promotes its members to seek it and codified the required knowledge and practices within the Liturgy of the Eucharist – which serves other purposes as well. Teachings are provided in the Liturgy of the Word which involves reading and singing.
Catholic Purity of Heart may be achieved following the practices of a devout Catholic. Although effort and persistence is required, the fundamental assumption is that we all carry obstacles to God within our hearts. Overcoming them requires effort and assistance granted through prayer.
Catholic Practices
- Performance of those devotions promising final salvation. One of such is to take communion on 9 consecutive first Fridays of the month in honour to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (Purity may come late in life after practice).
- Frequent confession and communion.
- Trying to understand the Mysteries of the Faith
- Keep constant attention on God, (Avoid excessive attention on oneself and external matters): "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Gospel of Matthew 6:22
- Constant prayer and acts of perfect charity.
- Prayer to the Holy Spirit
- "Show" God the faults, weakness or elements susceptible for improvement when it's said: "Let us lift up our heart"
- Carry holy and blessed objects close to the heart.
- Put others before ourselves/ Forget ourselves.
- Related to a Pure Heart, it should be considered "unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed" Gospel of John 24.
- Remember the Beatitudes.
Comments
The process of achieving a Pure Heart is compared with the exodus from Egypt of the Jewish people.
Some have considered the mentioned and other parts of the "Liturgy of the Word" to contain esoteric teachings. In this context the mass acts as a continual Exorcism. Some compare these beliefs with the Upanishads of Hindu Literature. The related Practices recommended in the Yoga Pradipika mention to restrain from bad company, sexual relations, exhaustion and very cold baths.
References to the heart in this context are abundant in the Bible.