Recently I attended a lecture by Wendy Wright who spoke on qualities of the heart. Wendy said the Christian life is a transformation of heart. We exchange our heart for the heart of Jesus. We must beat in the rhythm of God, aiming to be like Jesus whose heart beat in perfect rhythm with the Father.

Afterwards I reflected upon Christ’s willingness to exchange hearts with us. Wouldn’t that be the kenosis, the self-emptying of Jesus’ suffering and death, who though God did not cling to God but emptied himself and gave everything?

What would I do differently today if I had the heart of Jesus Christ in me?

In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Some argue that this is THE question of the gospel. We all need to answer the question again and again along our spiritual journey.  For me, Jesus Christ is my Life, my Enough. Probably every sister claimed the same once upon a time and vowed her life to the Only One.

Vows deepen in meaning in religious life just as they do in married life. The surface level of poverty is that I claim no money for myself; it all goes for the common good. On a deeper level poverty’s detachment allows attachment to God. Obedience means more than

going to the place of ministry assigned to me by my provincial. It means listening to God’s call daily. Chastity means much more than not marrying. It means giving my whole life to God and letting God be my Enough, my Everything. That’s who I say Jesus is.

Young persons are being called to religious life, but they need your encouragement. This week please take the time to encourage someone you know. It can be as simple as “Have you ever thought of being a Sister? Let that be THE question of the week!

Brian McLaren said, “The Gospel is not an evacuation plan for the next world.”  How true!  The Gospel tells us how to live here and now.  Love your enemies.  Pray for those who persecute you.  Cross the road to help someone lying in the ditch.  Feed the hungry.  Help the sick and dying.  Be patient and humble. The Gospel is a how-to book.  Its subtitle could be “How to Make This World aBetter Place.”

Can you think of other sub-titles for the Gospel?

As we celebrate the feast of St. Aloysius today, I am reminded that he belongs to the 24 and Under Club — those Saints who died at the age of 24 or younger. There are actually quite a few in this amazing group, including Dominic Savio, Elizabeth of Hungary, Kateri Tekakwitha, Therese of Lisieux, Aloysius and Maria Goretti.

What makes them so special?  I marvel at what God was able to do in and through them in a few short years.  It’s utterly amazing to me the number of lives they’ve touched and the influence they’ve had as a result of their openness to God’s action in their lives. It gives me reason to reflect on what I’ve allowed God to do in my 56 years of life.

These Saints are representative of the tremendous gift which young people are for us.  Let no one underestimate the power and influence of our young Church!

Like so many others, I have always known St. Anthony as Patron of lost articles and I have sought his intercession on more than one occasion!  I never thought of him as a great theologian or scholar.  However, in today’s Office of Readings, the excerpt on his life indicates that he was recognized by St. Francis and the other members of his community as extremely gifted in the areas of teaching and preaching.

One of his sermons contains the line, “Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak.” This simple, but powerful, message was a hallmark of Anthony’s life. It’s a good reminder to me to check the consistency of my words and actions.

Perhaps the most precious thing St. Anthony can help me find is a life of authenticity and truth where my actions give credence to the words I speak.  Saint Anthony, pray for us!

I love the fact that the readings for this Solemnity of the Sacred Heart highlight the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd.  When I was on pilgrimage in Rome and Germany in 2002, I was touched by how often I “met” the Shepherd.  This image is everywhere!

One of the things I have come to appreciate about the Good Shepherd image is that when the shepherd carries a sheep over his shoulders, the ear of the shepherd is very near the heart of the sheep.  For me, it’s one more tender way that Jesus reminds me of His gentle and personal love for me. I know He hears not only what I say but also what I carry in my heart — the joys and sorrows, frustrations and victories.

Today is a good day to pause, reflect and thank God that His heart connects with  mine in a love that is beyond my wildest imagining! Sacred Heart of Jesus, change my heart to be like yours.

So many disasters:  Hurricane Sandy … Boston Marathon … tornadoes in Moore and Shawnee, Oklahoma and then Oklahoma City and so many other places … fires in New Mexico and California … human trafficking …. child labor … fires in garment factories … and the list could go on and on and on ….

Yesterday I read this in my morning prayer from Give Us This Day:  “Like Jesus, the best we can often do is show our solidarity with the suffering, be present with them in their agony and horror, and simply hold our tongue.”  (Don Talafous, OSB)  I got to thinking about all these recent human happenings that tear at our hearts.  May each of them open within us rivers of compassion that run deep as we embrace our sisters and brothers with the heart of Christ.  May we not only hold all those affected in our prayer, but also reach out in tangible ways to make the burdens they bear a bit lighter. The journey to recovery is a long one.  May our presence in prayer, monetary support, and offers of help be the Body of Christ alive in our world today.

The Notre Dame logo puts the ND on the edge.  I’m happy to say that my religious community is willing to live on the edge. We have gone to so many new places in the past 20 years: Mozambique, Nicaragua, Uganda, Peru, Guatemala, New Orleans, and more.  We have ministered where others would rather not go, such as AIDS centers. Retired Sisters look for new ways to share their skills and wisdom. The edge is a good place. We’re not the center of attention. We’re not at the top. We’re not at the bottom. We’re on the edge. Come to think of it—Jesus was on the edge, along with everyone else on the margins: the poor, the unacceptable, the people of the “wrong” religion. May Sisters of Notre Dame reach out to those on the margins of society. May we always be on the edge.

How do you feel about being on the edge?

As I celebrate today with the Church the feast of the Visitation, I’m drawn to our Congregational Constitutions, Art. 14:

  “The more intensely the tender love of Jesus takes hold of us, the more we become free from self and available to share his love with others.”

I believe this is what Mary experienced and what compelled her to visit Elizabeth.  Jesus’ tender love captured her heart and freed her to bring Him to others.  Just as Sister Valerie wrote in her blog entry yesterday, there’s a certain “all or nothing” that comes to play in our relationship with God.  Jesus’ love captures us and takes hold of us in an intense way.  I find myself praying that God will never let me go, especially at those times when I may find His love uncomfortable and struggle to be free of His embrace.

May Jesus wrap each of us in His tender love today and may we share that same love with those we meet.

Like rain, life generally comes vertically: we get down to work, papers pile up on our desk, we come down with flu, we settle down to a good night’s sleep, we get up and dress up. Life is full of ups and downs.

But sometimes life has its “acrosses” like horizontal rain. Like the more destructive horizontal rain, life’s acrosses can send us reeling or at least step back momentarily off balance. Horizontal rain cannot be dodged easily. We can’t put up an umbrella or stand under an overhang. The choices are limited: stay indoors or take the full brunt.  All or nothing.

Facing God is like facing horizontal rain: all or nothing. When we accept God, we have to accept God’s People: “…just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Mt. 25:40). When we follow Jesus we follow him the whole way: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mk 8:34). We must forgive “seventy times seven times”–always, not just when it’s easy.

Will you face what comes across your path? God, yell “Come” above the winds, and we will follow.