CIRCUMCISE YOUR HEARTS
Moses encourages and admonishes the Israelites to recall the great things that God has done in their midst. He also beckoned them to turn to the Lord and not be stiff-necked.
Why did Moses tell the Israelites to circumcise their hearts?
What does it mean to circumcise one’s heart?
Circumcising one’s heart means being open to God’s gifts and not hardening one’s heart in the things that God is doing in one’s life and through the person. This implies not forgetting what God has done. So, the Israelites were asked to remember and reflect on the blessings they have received from God. By so doing, they will be able to continue to receive God’s favor.
Circumcision of heart will also lead them to be compassionate to the foreigners in their midst and to treat the foreigner with care and compassion, as they themselves were once foreigners in Egypt.
Circumcision of the heart is different from circumcision of the flesh. The circumcision of the flesh was a mark of the covenant promise God made with Abraham and his descendants. God again promises him that he would make him the father of many nations as Abraham continued to walk before him faithfully. As a sign of this covenant, God required Abraham and all the males to be circumcised. The mark of circumcision is a physical reminder that they were cut out from the world, that is, set apart to serve the one, true Lord (Gen. 17:1–14).
“This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.” – Genesis 17:10-11.
The need for circumcision of the heart is to experience the inner reality of a circumcised heart that the circumcision in their flesh is to signify. Circumcision of the heart is about consecration and repentance. In Deuteronomy 10, the Israelites were implored again to walk in obedience to the Lord (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)
Circumcising one’s heart was a commitment to walk in obedience to the Lord. To consecrate yourself, to love God, and to serve him. Hence, it is God who circumcises the heart, our duty is to dispose ourselves and accept the grace.
The book of Deuteronomy says:
“The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.” – Deuteronomy 30:6
On this day we celebrate the memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe who was strongly influenced by the vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary he had at the age of 12. He said:
“That night I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked me if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both.”
May the Lord continue to circumcise our hearts daily and may we be open to his invitation.
Have a blessed week!
