Posted on Jun 27, 2015

Mary Loves A Chaste Heart -a Poem

by Christopher Ziegler

This lovely poem first appeared at Christ’s Faithful Witness  (Please have a look at this great, faithful Catholic site) and is reproduced here with permission.

Mary loves a chaste heart—
But so often have I struggled.

 

A wandering mind begets temptation.
When I remove my eye from Mary,
I begin to believe I can trust myself.
Soon the cravings of sin slither from the shadows…

 

My memory is stained by lurid images.
These visions of lust have their own power
To bend the heart.
My urges disturb me.

 

They conjure uninvited thoughts.
These thoughts are not gentle.
They are not compassionate.
They are unworthy of Mary.

 

When I remember the love she has shown me
I am filled with shame.

 

The way out of temptation is humility.
Brought low by weakness,
I bow my head, clasp my hands
And call on the name of Mary.

 

I am bathed in peace and regain control.

 

I can tell her grace is at work
By the swelling of my heart.
She has proven once again
How much she cares for me
And how much I need her care.

 

Without her strength of grace
I would already be dead
And my life lost forever.

 

Yes—Mary loves a chaste heart.
But, even more than this,
She loves a sinner in need.

 

 

I created this Pinterest graphic from a picture taken at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Melbourne. It shows St. John Paul II, that Pope who wrote so beautifully about purity, praying to Our Lady, whom he credited with saving his life during his assassination attempt. It seemed a fitting combination to use with Christopher’s poem.

It’s so important to keep our thoughts pure and to be very careful online! Christians are fortunate to have the power of prayer to aid purity, and Catholics have the extra blessing of help from Mary, the Mother of God.

But sometimes, we need even more help to avoid sin.

Some men and women are really struggling with a porn addiction and need accountability online. Others just want to avoid pornography altogether and ensure their children are safe. I use and recommend Covenant Eyes to protect myself and my family from pornography, and receive a small commission if you sign up via any of the links on my site. You can learn more here.