This morning at Vigils we were reminded that whereas man usually sees only outward appearances, the Lord looks into the heart. God is therefore not swayed by merely external displays of holiness, religiosity, or devotion, but perceives the true state of our souls and the deepest intentions that move us. His penetrating gaze unmasks all hypocrisy and recognizes every trace of insincerity that may underlie our outward expressions of piety, virtue, or those good deeds prompted by vainglory. Yet the opposite is also true. For those who resolutely struggle against sin and its enslaving power, but fail repeatedly, God sees more than these outward manifestations of weakness. Looking into the heart, he beholds the hidden struggle, the sincere resolve, and the longing to grow in holiness. May Saint Cyprian Tansi—whose sanctity was forged through just such persevering struggle—intercede for us, that we may not lose heart amid our own failures and detours along that long and narrow way that leads to salvation.