In the Old Testament, Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go in spite of the many plagues. He was obstinate and hard of heart.
In Mark 8:19-20, Jesus asks the disciples , " Do you not understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened?
In today's Gospel, the Pharisees were looking closely at Jesus to see if He would cure the man with the withered hand on the sabbath. Angered and grieved for their hardness of heart, Jesus cured the man on the sabbath.
We all know people who are hard hearted. We might be one of them. Imbued in sin or our own self righteousness, we become more and more entrenched in our erroneous and sinful thoughts and deeds. We perpetuate this harm to our hearts, causing more and more damage. We become cold, disobedient, uncaring, unyielding and unfeeling.
Look into our own hearts when doing our examination of conscience. Are you unwilling to change your heart or thoughts? Do you have conflict with family members, parishioners, priests, coworkers and lost friendships over our decision to not act and do as Jesus would?
This spiritual ailment or sin comes upon us gradually. We don't see the transformation of our hearts because we refuse to face it. If we do wrong or sin a little bit at a time, we gradually lose sight that our actions are wrong. We become convicted we are correct. With disappointments we can give up on one another, be unforgiving, develop grudges, resentment or bitterness.
Ask God to change you, to soften your heart. Help the beggar, feed the poor, volunteer at a hospital or a clinic, give thanks for what God has given you and share with others.
Humbling ourselves, repenting and obeying, God can cure us of our hardness of heart.
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