The last day of June

 It is always good to review the month with the Lord and see the many graces given during the past thirty days. June seems to have flown by; there were good moments such as our retreat, preparation for the Feast of the Sacred Heart, my time of solitude when ill, and then the wonderful five nights near the ocean. I loved that and now must settle down and catch up with some presentations, some work sent to help us prepare for our Mission Forum which will be by zoom from July 8-11. I still feel that I am on vacation.

Remember, grateful hearts are joyful hearts!

Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul

 Today is a beautiful day and a feast of two great Apostles: Peter and Paul. We owe much to both of them and I am praying to them today for help for the Church, especially here in the United States. I do not thinik that all the Bishops are really listening to Pope Francis and we have certainly not begun to work toward the synods that each diocese is called to hold within the next two years. We need to begin now to listen to one another and then discern what the Holy Spirit is calling us to do. Let us pray today for all our Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals and for our Holy Father, Pope Francis. 

I returned from a wonderful vacation near the ocean yesterday. The first morning I slept until 8:55 - something that I have not been able to do for ages. It was so restful to get up when I wanted, eat when I wanted, and to go sit and contemplate the ocean. The weather was lovely; it was cloudy in the early morning, but then the sun came out and it was a joy to be outside. I suspect my nose may peel, but it was worth it just to sit and listen to the waves and watch the surf. 

I am so grateful that I am writing this blog the first night I am home, but I still feel that I am on vacation so do not be concerned if I am not writing every single day!

After the Retreat

 I had a lovely eight days of silence and prayer. Our preached retreat was on the Beatitudes but stressed that we need to study the interior dispositions of the Heart of Jesus. I usually stayed with one thought each day but will be going over the retreat for many days.

I am still on vacation from this blog. Actually, I will be away for five nights beginning Wednesday afternoon and returning on Monday. I will be with one of my RSCJ friends in a condo lent us for these days and I really look forward to being away. I will also be able to walk out and be able to see the ocean. This is a real gift and so I will again not be writing a daily blog.

Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Although this is one of our great feasts, I do not have a picture of the Immaculate Heart of Mary that I like so think Mary would rather have us look at this picture of a sailboat setting out to sea in a calm water. I like to think that we are all in a boat with Jesus and Mary and have set sail. We may not know the ports along the way, but we are in the boat and will somehow reach our final destination. We are full of peace and secure in the love of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary for each of us.

We go into retreat tonight so I will not be writing my blog but count on your prayer for this important time alone with Jesus and Mary. 

Feast of the Sacred Heart

 Today is a great feast for the Society of the Sacred Heart. It is good to have this Feast and that of the Immaculate Heart of Mary tomorrow before we go into retreat on Sunday. I hope we are going into retreat on Saturday night and coming out a full eight days later. I am looking forward to the retreat and ask prayers for all of us. It is always a time of renewal and I like to think of it as a "honeymoon" time.

I will not be writing my blog during this time and perhaps not many blogs in June as it is good to take a vacation sometimes. Please continue to keep my sister-in-law in your prayers. Her name is Anita and she has a very serious type of cancer and is in great pain. Thank you.

 Again I am quoting from the reflection on Sacred Heart Spirituality by Mudita Sodder, RSCJ.

"Having observed the preferences of His Heart, one needs to choose like Him, the poor and under privileged. This mst reflect in one's life - the friends one has, the choices one makes when one visits people, the things one chooses to do and how one does them. In order to discover Jesus' Heart, one needs to contemplate His words, His attitudes, His relationships, His way of relating to all creatures...".

Remember, above all, that Jesus loves us unconditionally.

What is Sacred Heart Spirituality for you?

 This week, I am sharing a few thoughts from a paper sent to me by an RSCJ in India, Dr. Mudita Sodder. She has given me permission to do so and my aim is to help each of us to think more deeply about what Sacred Heart spirituality means for each of us at this point in our lives.

She begins by saying that spirituality is a way of life and that "Sacred Heart of Jesus Spirituality is the way of the heart-the path of unconditional love. To follow in the footsteps of the Master, one has to study the interior dispositions of Jesus' hert and learn to love wholeheartedly and unconditionally. To make this a reality in one's life, one needs to have a tete-a-tete with Him daily, spending quality time and energy, in quiet prayer and contemplation." (I cannot get the ^ inserted over tete)

Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

 Bread and wine, ordinary everyday in the life of the early Christians, Yet Jesus was able to take bread and wine and change it into a way of allowing Himself to be present with us even as He was leaving us. He gave his chosen ones the power to continue to change the bread and wine into His Body and Blood so that we may receive Him into our bodies and be strengthened to continue His mission of love here on earth. As a child I was thrilled to hear that somewhere on earth a priest was saying Mass and changing the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. I hope that is still true, but what a gift the Eucharist has been for Catholics everywhere! Jesus is still with us and our churches are still places where we can go and adore Him present in the tabernacle. He is with us and gives us courage to face the many hardships that living on earth entails.

Today I am only going to quote the Communion Antiphon and the Prayer after Communion.

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him, says the Lord." Jn 6:57

"Grant, O Lord, we pray,

that we may delight for all eternity in that share in your divine life, which is foreshadowed in the present age by our reception of your precious Body and Blood. Who live and reign for ever and ever.

This a one of the few feasts with a sequence. The Lauda Sion has many verses. I suggest you pick out one or two to pray over today.

Preparing for the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ

 Today is First Saturday and tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi. The Eucharist is so important to me and I have missed having daily Mass, but am grateful that we now have it at least three times a week. Just sitting quietly in front of the Blessed Sacrament is such a grace.

I am going to be quoting from a paper sent me by one of my RSCJ friends in India, Dr. Mudita Sodder, on "Sacred Heart Spirituality." I think it will help us prepare for the Feast of the Sacred Heart and for the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ tomorrow. She ends her reflection by saying:

"However, the epitome of Sacred Heart Spirituality is the Eucharist. Receiving the Body/Blood of Christ, one is blessed with grace, capacity to lay down one's life, be broken, even killed if need be, so that new life, new humanity and a new birthing can take place."

First Friday of June

 Today is the First Friday of June and I have not written for the past three days. I had a wonderful birthday on Monday and then developed a cold. I have been in my room as I did not want to give it to anyone and, as far as I know, no one has a cold here. 

I have really done nothing for three days. I read, prayed, and was in bed before dark some nights - I usually turn out my light between 9:30 and 10:00 so that was unusual for me. I feel the week has vanished but maybe I just needed this time to be. We are in the novena for the Feast of the Sacred Heart which is next Friday. Then we go into retreat from June 13-20 so I will be taking a bit of vacation from the blog.

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. A friend of mine, Dr, Mudita Meona Sodder, RSCJ, wrote me from India and sent me something she has written on "Sacred Heart Spirituality." I will be quoting from this reflection of hers in the next week as a way of preparing for the Feast of the Sacred Heart.