The Ear Of My Heart

In the Prologue of his Rule,
St. Benedict speaks of this.

I have read and reread it,

pondering, ruminating over it,

and asking for an understanding heart

of what it means in my life.

How do I listen with the ear of my heart?

You know when you pray for another

how helpful it is to look at their face
because you can read what's in their heart?
That's the same with the Lord.

We need to come face to face with Christ.
Face means person.

We need His Face with our face because
His face opens us to understand His heart.

What I have heard time and time again

before the Eucharistic Face of Jesus

are the two great commandments:

"You shall love the Lord your God

with your whole heart,

with your whole soul,

and with all your mind." Mt 22: 37  Mk 12:30

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Mt 22: 38

Our hearts are a place of love,

and when we are asked to listen

with the "ear of our hearts" we are being asked

to have a heart of self-giving love. 

"One can not find God

through the senses or intelligence,"

said a wise priest to me once;...

"even Moses in taking off his sandals

represented the taking off of

his senses and intelligence"

...and he continued,

"Joseph after hearing that Mary was with child

suspended these qualities as well."

"If we follow this instruction of St. Benedict,"

the wise one continued--

listening with the ear of the heart,

"we will be configured to the heart of Christ."

O glory, isn't that what we want?

image by Wes Allen

I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace,
peace for his people and his friends
and those who turn to him in their hearts.  Ps 85: 8

Lord, teach me to listen with the ear of my heart.*

*image found on: www.TheEarsofYourHeart,com 

Pregnant Pause

I have taken a pregnant pause.

It has been Holy Week and such a perfect time to pause in silence anyway.

My beloved and precious sister, Linda--my younger Irish twin (eleven months apart)--passed away last Friday morning in her sleep as she desired. She had been terminally ill for a long while.

Even though we, her family, (she was one of eight siblings) knew her death was imminent, we're still experiencing a profound sense of loss.


Linda in the middle. I'm on the right. My older Irish twin, Cathy, on the left.

The good news is that God's promises are true. His peace is flowing like a river and He is flooding us with His love. Our hearts are wide open to receive all that He wants to bestow in this very holy time.

God bless all of you with His peace too.

Wowed!

I was "wowed" by a man in the Dollar Tree store this morning.

First he said, "You go ahead of me." Then when I handed the clerk my money he said, "I'm paying for hers (me) and for hers"--pointing to the lady behind him.

I said, "You're amazing! I'll have to do the same for someone."

And he said, "That's the point!"

I walked away with goose bumps. :-)

I always like starting the day with, "Speak, Lord, I'm listening."

Now to obey!!

My dearest child

I hear the cry of your heart,
and I long to reassure you.
I am with you always.

Your heart purely longs for me,
for the courts of my house,
and I welcome you in.

You are my eternal guest.

I have found you worthy
through the blood of the Lamb,
my son, your Lord,
the Prince of Peace.

He who comforts hearts,
who loves beyond measure,
who stands firm, and causes you to stand firm.
He who is relentless in His love and mercy,
who looks kindly upon you.

Rejoice and be glad this day,
O daughter of Zion,
for your Lord stands near,
as your sword and shield
to defend you in these evil days
when Satan has been loosed upon the earth.

You are my anointed daughter
to whom I give the well-springs of water,
whose breath I sustain,
whose mouth I open,
whose voice I bless,
whose feet I keep,
whose hand I touch,
whose heart I love,
whose mind I know,
whose desire is mine,
whose faith is strong,
whose courage endures,
who is favored.

Faithful remember this:

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intention for March 2012

General Intention: Contribution of Women

That the whole world may recognize the contribution of women to the development of society.

Amen to that!

No Greater Love

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh, precious is the flow,

that makes me white as snow.

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my righteousness

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.    R. Lowry, 1876



Celebration of Holy Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in  Ireland

The Giver

O Lord, you mete out peace to us,
            for it is you who have accomplished

            all we have done.  Is 26: 12

I had to stop and ponder this word from Isaiah recently. Ruminate like the cow rechews the cud. In my mind I went back over the things I have accomplished in my life. Now I am seeing them more in the light of Him having done them through me and I have rediscovered them with a new beauty.

It is God who is active within us, giving us both the will and the achievement, in accordance with his good purpose. St. Basil

Well, not only the achievement but even the will is his doing, not mine. A greater sense of awe has dawned.

St. Paul said, "I have toiled harder than all the others, but it is not I but the grace of God, which is with me." 1 Cor 15: 10

So the will, the grace, the accomplishments are all received as gift. Obviously, i am nothing without the Giver.