Proper 15 B - Psalm 24:3-4 - A Pure Heart, John Cassian

"Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully."
Psalm 24:3-4

"In the case of some who have despised the greatest possessions of this world, and not only large sums of gold and silver but also large properties, we have seen them afterwards disturbed and excited over a knife or pencil or pin or pen ... they are without the love of which the apostel speaks: "If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." And from this it clearly follows that perfection is not arrived at simply by self denial ... That love consists in purity of heart alone. For not to be envious or boastful or arrogant or rude, not to insist on one's own way, not to rejoice in wrongdoing, not to think evil, and so on - what is all this except always to offer to God a perfect and clean heart and to keep it free from all disturbances."

~ John Cassian (360-435 - A monk and ascetic writer in Southern Gaul, disciple of St. John Chrysostom)