Wednesday in Holy Week

The heart is devious above all else
it is perverse—
who can understand it?
I the Lord test the mind
and search the heart,
to give to all according to their ways
according to the fruit of their doings.
--Jeremiah 17:9-10

This is the dilemma of our hearts. The Apostle Paul suggests a path toward changing our hearts, or redirecting them, if you will.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
--Philippians 4:8

If we are what we eat, then what are we feeding ourselves?

Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

St Matthew Passion BWV 244
O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde Groß

O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde Gross
Darum Christus seins Vaters Schoss
Aussert und kam auf Erden;
von einer Jungrau rein und zart
Fur ens er hie geboren ward,
Er wollt der Mittler werden.
Den Toten er das Leben gab
Und legt darbei all Krankheit ab,
Bis sich die Zeit derdrange,
Dass er fur uns geopfert wurd,
Trug unsrer Sunden schwere Burd
Wohl an dem Kreuze lange

O Man, mourn you great sin;
For this, Christ, from his Father's bosom,
went forth and came to earth.
Of a Virgin pure and gentle,
He was born here for our sake.
He was willing to mediate.
To the dead He gave life
and conquered all sickness,
until the time came
that He should be sacrificed for us,
and carry the heavy burden of our sins
upon the Cross itself

Karl Richter; Münchener Bach-Choir, Münchener Bach-Orchestra.

--the BB