Now that the Santas and stockings have disappeared to the North Pole along with the holly-jolly tunes and the Salvation Army bells, commercial-savvy marketers reach out in desperation for some holiday or other excuse to make us buy, buy, buy. And so out come the hearts heralding Cupid’s arrival on an arrow next month.

A heart is a good symbol to have hanging around the drug store (that I visit every other day for refills and vitamins and candy to bribe the kids with) and the mall (which I have avoided since before Thanksgiving) because, according to Mother Teresa, holiness starts with a pure heart.

In her book of reflections with Brother Roger of Taize, “Seeking the Heart of God,” Mother Teresa writes this about the heart:

“To be able to pray we need a pure heart. With a pure heart we can see God.

Prayer gives us a clean heart and that’s the beginning of holiness. Holiness is not a luxury of the few; it is a simple duty for you and for me.

Where does holiness begin? In our own hearts. That’s why we need that continual prayer–to keep our hearts clean, for the clean heart becomes the tabernacle of the living God.”