February 18, 2019 ~ Happy Covenant Day!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been seeing hearts all over the place the past couple days: Facebook, WhatsApp, adds, street corners, buildings, restaurants – you name it. There was a heart there. I hope you’re not sick of hearts yet, because I’ve got a couple “heart-thoughts” I’d like to share with you.
As a nursing student, I guess you could say I’m a little obsessed with hearts. It’s definitely one of the first things I check when I’m with a new patient after surgery! But whether we’ve just had surgery or not, our hearts are an essential part of each one of us, a part of us that is worth investing a little time and energy in. The heart is a powerhouse of amazing potential that God packed into one little anatomical space the size of our fist. But I won’t remain on the purely physical level. There is a good reason that we have a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
God has designed us, human beings in such a way, that body and soul are inseparably connected. What happens in the soul is somehow reflected in the body, and what happens in the body affects the soul. For centuries, people of traditional wisdom have sensed that the heart is at the core of the human person. A person’s heart can have a tremendous impact on the world around us. Science is now starting to prove how this works. Our hearts create an electromagnetic field around us, and everyone within this field is touched by it. Scientists think that depending on how we allow ourselves to feel, this field has different energy frequencies. For example, think about a time when you entered the room when two people were just having a heated discussion. Did you notice the tension? Or on a more positive note, have you ever met a person that seemed to exude an overwhelmingly peaceful aura? You simply want to stay near this person? In both cases, you see how people’s hearts give out signals. Now to the point: The feelings or emotions which you allow to reign in your heart affect other people around you, whether you are aware of it or not. Even when you don’t say anything and remain silent, our heart – and anything you allow in it – makes a difference in the world around you!
God gave you a beautiful heart [… and he only gave us one heart!] Treasure it, as he treasures it. Take time to care for it each day. This might mean setting aside five minutes of peace and quiet to simply rest in his love for you. In these five minutes, give all the worries in your heart to him. Ask him to fill your heart with thanksgiving, patience, kindness, selflessness — whatever you most need. This little daily exercise can make a difference in how the rest of your day goes. You will discover that just five minutes each day is not enough. You will see that making a pause here and there throughout the day helps you to refocus and to center yourself on the God of love who hides in your heart. There you can find and meet him at any moment of the day.
No human person became a greater master of this heart-centered approach to life than our Blessed Mother. “And she kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk2:19). Ask her to put order in your heart. Give her your heart, to form it and educate it. She really wants to – and can – transform our hearts into hearts that can change the world. But she needs our cooperation. We need to slow down, become silent: literally allow our heartbeat to slow to a gentle rhythm, to match the rhythm of Mary’s heart. Our heart shrines will be daily renewed and refreshed. We will be able to radiate an uplifting atmosphere that our world so desperately needs, without having to say much. Actually, no words are needed. However, I assure you, your heart makes a difference.
Erica Carlson
Schoenstatt Women’s Professional League, USA
