The Key to Opening God's Heart

THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent, March 10th, 2015

Liturgical texts here

THERE is a key to God’s heart, a key that can be held by anyone from the greatest sinner to the greatest saint. With this key, the heart of God can be opened, and not only His heart, but the very treasuries of Heaven.

And that key is humility.

One of the most frequently recited Psalms in Scripture is 51, written after David had committed adultery. He fell from the throne of pride to his knees and begged God to cleanse his heart. And David could do so because he held in his hand the key of humility.

My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:19)

Oh dear soul wrapped in the pain of your guilt and sin! You beat yourself with the shards of your heart, torn apart by the folly of your sin. But what a waste of time this is, what a waste! Because when a spear pierced the Sacred Heart of Jesus, it formed an opening in the shape of a keyhole through which mankind can enter, and humility can unlock. No one will be turned away who holds this key.

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)

Even the soul imprisoned by habit, enslaved by vice, troubled by weakness has recourse to His Merciful Heart if he but takes up this little key, “for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame” (first reading).

Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. (Psalm)

…the way of humility. Brothers and sisters, take it a from a poor sinner who time and again has had to return to the Lord with mud on his face. From one who has “taste and seen the goodness of the Lord” ^[1]cf. Psalm 34:9 but chosen the forbidden fruit of the world. God is merciful! God is merciful! How many times has He received me back, and with a love and peace that surpasses all understanding, has healed my soul again and again. For He shows mercy to the humble as many times as they ask, yes “not seven times but seventy-seven times” (Today’s Gospel).

And more than that, the key of humility further unlocks the treasures of Wisdom, the secrets of God.

He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way. (Today’s Psalm)

…because more favor is granted to a humble soul than the soul itself asks for… —Jesus to St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul, Diary, n. 1361

Alas, the keys of accomplishment, the keys of wealth, the keys of success, even the key of self-righteousness so often held by the Pharisees—none of these will unlock the Heart of God. Only the one who presents to Him the broken shards of their heart, covered in the tears of contrition, can open the gates of the Kingdom. Ah, to move the heart of the One who moves mountains! This is the mystery of Divine Mercy, the mystery of Lent, the mystery of the One Crucified who calls to you from the Cross:

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. (Matt 11:28-29)