“[God] shows much more of Himself to some people than to others – not because He has favourites, but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition. Just as sunlight, thought it has no favorites, cannot be reflected in a dusty mirror as clearly as in a clean one.” – C. S. Lewis Mere Christianity

It’s the first day of spring! At least in some parts of the world it is. Some people are still battling the cold weather from a harsh winter, and the Southern Hemisphere is moving into Fall…. but either way, in North Florida, it is Springtime! I know everything is in full bloom based on the yellow tint that now decorates my black car, and has wreaked havoc on my sinus cavities. Needless to say, it is the worst time of year for someone with asthma and allergies like I have, but I deal with it and move on.

This is the time of year when we put things away, get the house opened up and let the fresh air in. It also happens to be the season of Lent in the Catholic Church (and others). A time to renew things, make them fresh again, and wipe down the surfaces. It is a great time to get things all clean. Scrub the base boards and such, if you will. We should also be scrubbing out our internal selves as well. It is the primary calling for Catholic’s during Lent, to reflect on our spiritual side, asses our shortcomings, repent (which translates into change) the actions that we see are flaws, and pray for help and healing in those flaws. There is no shame in knowing that you are not perfect all the time. Trust me, I am the first one to tell you, I have so many flaws and I am not perfect. The one thing that I do is always come back to God and ask for help. So, I clean out my soul as well as clean out the trash in my house. I really believe this is what Jesus was trying to accomplish when he drove the bazaar out of the synagogue. He did not want the House of the Lord to be a carnival. Since we are the temples of God on Earth, we too need to make sure we are getting those carnival shows out of our lives.  It happens differently for everyone, depending upon how dusty your mirrors are. Just know the more you clean it, the more you can see clearly. With more clarity comes more blessings. Now is a great a time as any to start cleaning, no matter how long you have let the dust sit.