“Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD.  Blessed are they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart.” I often think about God looking upon me and setting his gaze upon my heart.  What does he see? Does it please him?  What needs to change? How vulnerable we are when God sets his gaze upon on hearts.  Nowhere to hide, nothing hidden, all is exposed.  We become so vulnerable, so naked.  No masks, no cover – just you, just your heart, just God’s gaze.  Scripture inspires us to consider and to contemplate how the Lord looks tenderly on those who are poor.  How poor we become when nothing is left but you and God.   O Lord, show me my poverty.  Please show me the darkness of my heart, the error of my ways, the things that need healing, the things that need love, the things that blind me.  O Lord, please show me how poor and needy I am, how worldly I can be at times.  Please uncover the things that block heaven from more fully engaging my heart and please recover the peace you gladly bring to my mind and to my soul.  Show me the things that prevent me from more fully receiving your love, the things that prevent me from more fully sharing my love and life with you “whom I should love above all things.”  O Lord, show me my poverty then in your great love and mercy help me to offer it to you, to bring it to your holy presence, to share it in your sacred silence and to unite it to the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Help me to surrender it all to you Lord.  Help me to be poor, to realize how dependent I am on you for everything for without you I am nothing – I cannot accomplish anything without your grace.  O Lord, my  desire is to be stripped of my pride, my ego, my selfishness – take it all so I can more fully receive your love, your healing, your grace.  Lord show me my poverty for truly “the Lord hears the cry of the poor.” “Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer for I am poor and needy.”  Mother Mary, Mother of the poor, please pray for us poor sinners, poor children of God that we may become poor in spirit and rich in God’s love.