I will sprinkle clean water over you to make you clean; from all your impurities and from all you idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put with in you. I remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 

Ezekiel 36:26

This is the third time in the book of Ezekiel that God promise to give his people a new heart. Here he says that he will cleanse his people with water. The cleanings of water will give his people a new heart and new spirit. The cleansing will remove the heart of stone and give his people a heart of flesh. 

At our Baptism, God gives us a heart of flesh. Our role is to live in the reality of this gift. Every time we bless ourselves with holy water we can remind ourselves that God has cleansed us and gives us a heart of flesh – a heart open to loving him and loving others. 

Thank God today that he gave you a heart of flesh at your Baptism. When you go to church this Sunday, bless yourself with the holy water and ask God to take away your stony heart.