Renew within me a steadfast spirit

 "A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from before your face, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit." (Psalm 51: 12 - 14)

The above scripture is part of the Responsorial Psalm in the Liturgy of today, Ash Wednesday.  The Deacon who preached at the early 6.30 am Mass in my parish touched on it in his homily.  He advised the congregation to pray Psalm 51 everyday of this Lenten season.  At the end of his homily, he repeated the entire Psalm 51 slowly.

Earlier this morning when I read the Mass readings for today as part of my preparation for the Ash Wednesday liturgy, I was moved especially by the verses above.  I told my RCIA class a couple of weeks ago that every Christian should be armed with Psalm 51 ready to use it when the unthinkable happens.  The unthinkable is falling into mortal sin especially the type you imagined you could never do.  If that happens and you are not prepared, your situation could be similar to a man who fell into a deep river and does not know how to swim.  The Liturgy of the Hours of today describes Lent as the beginning of our spiritual warfare.  How appropriate this description is when we reflect on the Original Lent:  Jesus Christ’s 40 days in the desert.  During Lent, we find ourselves in the spiritual desert.   My most trying time in the entire year comes either during Lent or immediately after Lent.  How well I handle the crisis depends on how prepared I am.  How prepared I am depends on how well I use all the tools of grace which Holy Mother Church has constantly provided her children.  These are the tools of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

As we begin this holy and grace-filled season, I pray with David:

"A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from before your face, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit." (Psalm 51: 12 - 14)