Yes, it is the time of year that we are faced with the grim reality of spring cleaning. The 
boxes that haven’t been touched in years need to be opened, the clothes that are no longer in fashion need to be donated, and the never-ending cleaning list needs to be completed. Unless you go against the grain and find great satisfaction in organization and cleanliness and in the whole process of getting to this state, you are like most Americans who do not find great joy in spring cleaning. It can often be a tedious process that requires dedication and discipline.
Although cleaning a house or an office can be an overwhelming task, have we ever thought about other areas of our life that might need “spring cleaning”? Oftentimes, this type of clean up can be more difficult and daunting that the physical spring cleaning because it requires more determination, thoughtfulness, and resolve to change. A messy cabinet can be easily solved with a box, a trash can, and a rag with soapy water. Our relationships, moral life, and spiritual life, on the other hand, are much more difficult to renew, but the rewards are great in the end.
The three areas mentioned above—our relationships, moral lives, and spiritual lives—all have their foundation in love of others, our Lord, and the laws set forth by our Lord. We know that the Blessed Trinity is the source of all that is good, of all that is pure, including love. Therefore, it is only fitting for us to approach God and ask Him to enlighten our minds to see the areas He wishes to make clean again. As hard as we try to correct our mistakes or make improvements, our efforts are fruitless without His grace. Therefore, we should first approach Him in prayer. During this time of prayer, we can feel confident and safe revealing all areas of our life to Him. Remember, He already knows everything about us! “He has even counted the hairs on your head”! And yet, we sometimes pull back and do not allow Him to enter, to see us for who we really are.
I once heard a talk by a gentleman who described this type of situation. He said that 
when we invite people over for dinner, we make everything appear to be perfect; we push all of the children’s toys in the closet, we light a candle to make the room smell nice, and we put out the most interesting magazines on the table to fit the person we would like to appear to be. Yes, we have all been there before. Our Lord though, is unlike other guests. He is willing to enter into our lives, as broken and messy as they may seem, in order to reveal the depth of His love for us. He came to this earth and ate at the houses of sinners and associated Himself with the lowly. He showed to us that He is more powerful than any illness, any sin, any fear. If we understand the magnitude of His love and power, why are we afraid to reveal all to Him?
When we learn to approach Him and reveal all to Him, we will begin to more clearly see the direction that He wishes us to follow. For each of us, our spring cleaning will take different forms. For someone, it may mean making a lifestyle change in order to live a moral life. For others, they may need to begin a regular prayer life or return to the sacrament of Reconciliation. Still others may need to find healing and forgiveness because of a previous situation. Whatever the situation may be, our focus should be on the Lord and His gentle movements in our lives. Keep remaining patient and steadfast. Does a thorough, [spiritual] spring cleaning take place overnight? This does not usually happen. Instead, it requires dedication, persistence, and determination, but we can hope and pray that one day we will be able to echo the words in Saint Paul’s second letter to Timothy, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
Let us turn to Him and let the cleaning commence.
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Art for this post on whether or not to clean or not to clean: Spinweave, with water drops, 30 September 2007, own work, Wusel007, CCA-SA 3.0 Unported; “PD-Mop”, 25 March 2010, Mop.png AwOc, derivative work: Blleininger [mirror]; PD-Worldwide, Wikimedia Commons.
Originally posted by the Carmelite Sisters on their site. Post and logo used with permission.
