Reflect today on your soul and your relationships with others with the greatest honesty possible

Then he said to the Pharisees: "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than do evil, to save life rather than destroy it?" But they remained silent. Looking around them in anger and saddened by their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man: "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was restored. Mark 3: 4–5

Sin harms our relationship with God. But hardness of heart is even more harmful because it perpetuates the harm caused by sin. And the harder the heart, the more permanent the damage.

In the above passage, Jesus was angry with the Pharisees. Often the passion of anger is sinful, resulting from impatience and lack of charity. But at other times, the passion of anger can be good when it is motivated by love for others and hatred of their sin. In this case, Jesus was grieved by the Pharisees' hardness of heart and that pain motivates his holy anger. His "holy" anger has not caused irrational criticism; rather, he prompted Jesus to heal this man in the presence of the Pharisees so that they would soften their hearts and believe in Jesus. Unfortunately, it didn't work. The next line of the Gospel says, "The Pharisees went out and immediately consulted with the Herodians against him to put him to death" (Mark 3: 6).

Hardness of heart should be strongly avoided. The problem is that those who are hard of heart are usually not open to the fact that they are hard of heart. They are stubborn and stubborn and often hypocritical. Therefore, when people suffer from this spiritual disorder, it is difficult for them to change, especially when faced.

This Gospel passage offers you an important opportunity to look into your heart honestly. Only you and God need to be part of that inner introspection and that conversation. It begins by reflecting on the Pharisees and the poor example they set. From there, try to look at yourself with great honesty. Are you stubborn? Are you hardened in your beliefs to the point where you aren't even willing to consider that you may be wrong sometimes? Are there people in your life with whom you have entered into a conflict that still persists? If any of these things ring true, then you may indeed be suffering from the spiritual evil of a hardened heart.

Reflect today on your soul and your relationships with others with the greatest honesty possible. Don't hesitate to let your guard down and be open to what God might want to tell you. And if you detect even the slightest tendency towards a hardened and stubborn heart, plead with our Lord to come in to soften it. A change like this is difficult, but the rewards of such a change are incalculable. Don't hesitate and don't wait. In the end it's worth a change.

My loving Lord, on this day I open myself to an examination of my heart and pray that You will help me to always be open to change when needed. Above all, help me see any hardness I may have in my heart. Help me overcome all obstinacy, stubbornness and hypocrisy. Give me the gift of humility, dear Lord, so that my heart can become more like yours. Jesus I believe in you.