Daily Meditation: Saturday, July 30, 2016

Purity - how to define it and how to cultivate it

07/30/2016

Why do many people stop listening as soon as they hear purity mentioned? They justify themselves by arguing that purity means narrow-mindedness, limitation, fanaticism and even exclusion, that in the name of purity there have been persecutions, massacres and burnings. All that is true, but there have also been appalling crimes committed in the name of love. Does that stop anyone ever saying the word ‘love’ again or continuing to love? Just think for a moment! Is this reasoning honest? Just because the notion of purity has often been misunderstood, people will find every justification for continuing to wade in filth. Let them – one day they will see the effects of this mistaken way of thinking. Now what is needed, of course, is a clear idea of what purity is and how to purify oneself. Purifying oneself is, in the first place, a matter of being able to discern the nature of the movements of one’s inner life and analyse one’s thoughts, feelings, desires and plans. And as these thoughts, feelings, desires and plans are often malicious and selfish, it is then necessary to work to make them more selfless, generous and fraternal. Who can object to this definition of purity?