Pure of Heart

Pure of Heart

A few weeks ago, Bishop Sullivan instituted my classmate, Tim Mulranen, and me to the ministry of acolyte. Many people from my home parish asked me what exactly an acolyte is. An acolyte assists the priest and deacon at the altar during the preparation of the gifts, purifies the chalice and ciborium, and serves as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. This ministry is to prepare Tim and me for ordination to Holy Orders in the coming years.

In the past, I have served at the altar as an altar server and as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. I did not, however, purify the vessels. During the weekday Masses following my installation, I poured water into the ciborium and chalice and made sure no particles or drops of the Eucharist was left for the first time. While purifying the vessels, the Church provides a prayer to accompany the action: What has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we possess in purity of heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our healing for eternity.

I knew of this prayer, but I never really looked at it. While preparing for acolyte, I brought this prayer into my prayer life the week before. I was struck by the petition “may we posses in purity of heart.” I am asking the Lord, for myself and the People of God, to make the Christian community holy and give us all purity of hearts. To love like Christ is to have a pure heart. Perhaps before the next time we receive Holy Communion, we should ask ourselves if we love like Christ. If we find ourselves falling short, let us ask the Lord to give us the graces needed to conform our hearts to his Sacred Heart.