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Today is the twenty-third day of our Lenten journey. Before getting into the topic, let’s finish the “flower display” we started yesterday, remembering each of the “flowers” collected from day 12 to day 22.

Day 12: Manage the gift of sexuality according to what God has ordained for our state of life, and avoid all forms of impurity.

Day 13: Walk the path of holiness as atonement for countless sins and offenses against God, unbelief, and injustices committed against people.

Day 14: Trust God in all situations, giving Him first place in our lives, remaining faithful to the sound doctrine of the Church and living according to it, and overcoming the temptations of pride by serving God and our neighbor.

Day 15: A flower of peace, believing in the omnipotence of God, who is capable of changing everything.

Day 16: Ask the Lord to grant us a heart full of trust in Him and belonging to Him without reserve. 

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Today we have reached day 22 of our Lenten journey. Perhaps some of you have gathered a “spiritual bouquet” with the flowers I have been suggesting at the end of each meditation. In fact, we have already formed a fairly large bouquet, and each of its flowers will help us find the thread that guides us throughout Lent.

Let me remind you that this year I have decided to base myself on the readings of the day according to the traditional liturgical calendar. Most of you are probably accustomed to the “ordinary form of the Roman rite.” That is why we always indicate the reading and Gospel of the day so that you can read them in their entirety, while in the meditations I usually quote only certain excerpts.

A brief “floral display” will help us remember the resolutions we have made in this first half of Lent. Today we will list the flowers from the first 11 days, and tomorrow we will continue with those from the next 11.

Day 1: Begin Lent with humility, seriously embark on the path of conversion, and store up treasures in heaven.

Day 2: Offer our supplications and petitions to the Lord with humility, friendship, and great faith.

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After the short series on the transformation of the heart, we return to the readings of the day. This year, we are following the traditional lectionary in our Lenten itinerary. But before getting into the subject, I would like to share with you an intention that is close to my heart. It is a prayer I have written to ask the Lord for the true peace that comes from Him. I would be grateful if many of those who listen to my daily meditations would join us in this simple prayer:

“Beloved Father, we ask You for the peace that flows from Your Heart to touch and transform the hearts of men, so that Your Kingdom may spread throughout the Earth. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”

From today’s biblical texts, I would like to focus on a brief but very significant passage from the Gospel (Mt 18:15–35). It reads as follows:

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This short series, which aims to show us the importance of the conversion of the heart, must also be understood in a supra‑personal dimension. This means that our efforts to attain a pure heart not only serve our personal sanctification, but are also a weapon in spiritual combat. St. Paul makes it clear that our struggle is against “the principalities, against the powers (…), against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12) They take advantage of our evil human inclinations and reinforce them. Once our hearts have been darkened, it becomes easier for them to involve us in their rebellion against God or, at least, to weaken or incapacitate us for the true fight against these spirits.

On the other hand, a heart that—thanks to the influence of the Holy Spirit—becomes increasingly pure and in which God’s grace flows is unbearable to them. Just think of the most pure Heart of the Virgin Mary, from whom they must flee. In addition, such a heart becomes increasingly inflamed with love for God and for human beings, and places itself completely at the service of the heavenly Father. Therefore, it will fight against anything that seeks to tarnish the glory of God and will carry the message of the Gospel to others. This, in turn, weakens the power of the Evil One, so that every pure heart becomes a threat to him—not only because it does not allow itself to be led astray by his machinations, but because it actively combats them with the power of the Lord. Thus, we can take our place in the army of the Lamb, cooperating through our prayer and our struggle for holiness so that the peace of Christ may come to humanity and the power of His love may drive away the darkness.

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In yesterday’s meditation, we began a short series on the theme of the conversion of the heart. I thought it appropriate to address this topic within the framework of our Lenten journey for two reasons. First, because, in imitation of Christ, it is always necessary to deepen our conversion so that our lives may be as fruitful as possible in the service of our beloved Father and so that we may never cease on the path of following His Son. Second, because the deepest conversion of our hearts is a spiritual weapon in the fight against discord and war. Later, I will explain this aspect in more detail, because in this way we can confront the “evil spirits in the air” (Eph 6:12), who are always ready to take advantage of humanity’s evil inclinations for their wicked plans.

In this spirit, let us continue today with the theme of the conversion of our hearts.

With the willingness to perceive one’s depths before the loving Lord, a double realism arises: one recognises both the dark side in oneself and at the same time encounters the mercy of God. One understands that God does not reject and punish because of the impurity that comes from the heart, but that His love has set out to bring light into the darkness.

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