December 9, 2011

Weekly Reflection on the Spirit of the Sacred Heart December 9, 2011

I told them that for our Lord to be born in our hearts, we must empty them of all attachments... That to motivate ourselves, we ought to consider the infinite love of our divine Savior, who puts aside his glory to take a body like ours, to become a little child, and in such lovable guise to win our hearts. That if we want the divine Infant to be born in our hearts, we must get rid of all pride and all that could make his stay unhappy; we must go to him with confidence, for he does not inspire fear but rather love.       St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, Journal of Poitiers, p. 54    (http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/pray-with-sophie/celebrate-with-sophie/2716-fourth-sunday-of-advent-year-c.html)

For Reflection...    Picture the scene: the meeting of two women, cousins; one is quite young but tired from a journey, the other is older. They are both expecting a child. Their faces show their joy at seeing each other. Ask for the grace to recognize the passage of the Lord in your life, the "visitations" of the Lord. The meeting calls forth a blessing. To bless is to wish well to another. Ask the Lord for the grace to bless, to put yourself out for a particular person. From an online retreat by Marie-Thérèse Deprecq, rscj, France (The full text may be found here: http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/pray-with-sophie/celebrate-with-sophie/2716-fourth-sunday-of-advent-year-c.html)           Painting of the Visitation by Arcabas           http://www.arcabas.com/accueil/index.php?lalangue=uk