INSPECTIO CORDIS Examining the depth of one’s heart with St. Stanislaus Papczyński “Our weekly goal is to allow Jesus to gaze into your heart and teach you self-examination, leading you to a more fruitful reception of Holy Communion at Sunday Mass, where there is a true encounter of our hearts with His Sacred Heart.” Prepare for Sunday Mass with our Founder Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time—C February 9, 2025 Before Holy Communion 1. “For I am a man of unclean lips.” While in the Temple, Isaiah glimpses the majestic glory of the thrice-holy God, surrounded by the seraphim. They chant the hymn we sing before each Eucharistic prayer: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!” Their name indicates they are the “burning ones,” aflame with love for God. This vision in turn enables Isaiah to see his own unworthiness more clearly. In the presence of divine light, he cannot help but be made aware of sin – both his own and that of the people of Judah among whom he lives. While we may not see the heavenly court with our own eyes like Isaiah, the sacred art in our churches is to help remind us that, by entering the church, we are entering the presence of God who is hidden in the tabernacle. In addition, the Mass begins with the penitential rite, because an authentic awareness of God’s presence begins with an awareness of our sins. In turn, the seraphim take the ember to touch Isaiah’s lips to remove his wickedness and purge his sin. Similarly, Jesus sends the burning fire of His Spirit into our hearts to cleanse us of iniquity and prepare us to hear His Word. How do you enter the presence of God at Mass? How do you experience the penitential rite at Mass? How does the Holy Spirit “burn” your sin away? 2. “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” The forgiveness of Isaiah’s sin opens him to hear the questions that God poses. Similarly, the penitential rite washes our hearts from the stain of sin that we might better hear what God speaks to us in the readings. A sign that we are truly free from our transgression is that we are ready to respond like Isaiah, “Here I am, send me!” Sin causes us both to not hear His Word or to delay in responding to that Word. Moreover, freedom from sin entails freedom to respond to God without condition. Isaiah responds without any limitation to God; he responds with a firm ‘yes.’ The word Mass
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