ELISHEBA BLOGLaura, Ivonne, and Rick
write about their lives in the Eucharist. |
ELISHEBA BLOGLaura, Ivonne, and Rick
write about their lives in the Eucharist. |
By: Laura Worhacz “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.” (Psalm 3:12,13) Dearest Eucharistic Family, It seems more important than ever that we unite in a spirit of love and fidelity, a spirit of communion; a spirit that comes from Heaven’s grace, poured out from our Father, through the life of His Son, Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Today the Catholic Church commemorates The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. As I immersed into prayer trying to imagine John the Baptist, his relationship with Christ, and the life he lived, fidelity came strongly to my heart. John loved God so much, he put the Lord above and before himself. John taught us that Christ must increase and we should decrease (John 3:30). His love was so intense that the truth could not be concealed; he preached God’s truth. Saint John the Baptist’s fidelity overtook his existence. He could not stand witnessing the ungodly, the deceit of unfaithfulness. The Gospel tells us that Herod had John imprisoned yet liked to listen to him. It seems Herod made the choice to be faithful to sin; the deception of taking what did not belong to him ruled. Herod was in a battle within, liking John’s words yet choosing what was contrary to truth. God would have wanted Herod to find a new way of living. Saint John’s proclamation of the truth was poured out in love. Saint John the Baptist was crying out to bring sin to a new life, a life of fidelity to God. As I was driving home from Mass and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament last week there was a motorcycle in front of me at a red light. The man riding had on a tee-shirt that read, “Forget prayer, no one is listening.” I immediately offered a Hail Mary, knowing in my heart that Our Lady would hear me. I believe (we believe) that our fidelity to God will bring life. I believe this poor soul, who seems to have lost faith, will receive a grace from God that will bring him to truth. We pray with hope to reach hearts longing to hear a voice crying out in the wilderness, make straight the pathway to God (John 1:23). God is faithful to us. Our fidelity to Our Creator will bring us to everlasting life. Saint John the Baptist did not fear. He was the Baptist. His fidelity was unwavering, his voice crying out. God is listening, He hears the cry of the poor (Proverbs 21:13). The Kingdom of Heaven is with us now in the Eucharist, a fidelity beyond our human understanding. Jesus calls out to us through the silence of our Eucharistic union with Him. Our fidelity will bring us to martyrdom, physically or spiritually, yet our faithfulness to our fidelity will keep us in the truth and love that will bring us to our eternal home, HEAVEN.
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By: Ivonne J. Hernandez I still remember it like it was yesterday….sitting on the passenger side of our motorhome, kids strapped in their seats, car hooked in the back with five bicycles hanging behind on a bike rack, looking out to the house that had been our home for the past seven years… the home where we went from a family of four to a family of five, the home where we began to homeschool, the home we had just sold and was no longer our home. Almost everything we owned was now either inside or being pulled behind this motorhome and it was time to hit the road. We didn’t know where the road would take us, or for how long this house on wheels would be our home, but we were excited and open to new experiences, and God did not disappoint.
Our journey as “full-timers” lasted three years; we collected precious memories, friends, and stories, as we lived a life we could not have imagined before. There is something about living on a home with wheels… it is a daily reminder that at any moment you might go. My husband worked as a consultant and we never knew where his next job would take us, or for how long. We came back to Florida to visit friends and family a few times in between jobs, and I remember, on one of those visits, a friend asking me: how I could be gone for so long? She said that when she goes on a trip, after a few days she just wants to come home. I knew what she was talking about, because I had experienced that feeling before, but this was now different. The RV was our home. We brought home with us wherever we would go. Just like our home was detached from the ground, set on wheels and ready to go, so must the heart of a Christian be set only on the Will of God. We put down roots and anchors to feel secure, but this world is not our home. No matter how much we seek comfort in its beauty, our hearts will remain restless, because we are meant to go. But God is with us, within us, He’s made our hearts His home. “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him” (John 14:23). So, fear not my friends and let yourself go. Let God detach you from what holds you back from living the life He wants for you. “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope” (Jer 29:11). By: Rick Hernandez Walking towards my bedroom, there is a small statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by the door. I often touch this statue as I walk by, a subtle attempt on my part to firm up in my heart the connection of my daily life to His. It is a means of acknowledging His role in my life and that we are in this, together.
Why is it that “connection” is so often associated with the heart? When we feel compassion, we say that the situation “tugs at our heart,” asking for our attention. When we feel excitement at meeting someone, we say that our “heart flutters,” asking us to be present. When we accompany someone suffering, our “heart aches,” asking us to be aware of and share in their pain. When we encourage someone, we ask them to “take heart.” We literally are offering our hearts to them. So much connection to the heart… Ever since ancient times, the heart has been the symbol of connection to others. But connecting to others is not always easy, and in fact, it is often difficult and even scary. Modern society is trying hard to separate us from our communal good and send us towards the individualism and selfishness that severs real connection. Why is it that while we are more connected than ever through technology, we are lonelier than ever? Why are we, as a society, more selfish? There is no real connection, not without heart, not without presence, not without compassion, not without courage. Compassion is an old word derived from the Latin “com pati,” meaning “to suffer with.” Connection is implied here, our hearts united. Another word for compassion is mercy; the Latin word for mercy is misericordia, which comes from “miseri cordi,” meaning “heart in misery”… Once again, the connection to the heart. We are meant to unite our hearts to others, to achieve connection. But to do this can be scary. To fight against fear, we need courage, fortitude. Courage is also an old word, derived from the Latin “cor age,” meaning “to bring forth your heart”… it’s all about the heart. So, the question then is: How do we transform our hearts so that we can be present, courageous, compassionate, and merciful? “COR UNUM ET ANIMA UNA,” which translates into English as “one heart, one mind,” to beat as one heart. And here is where we understand whose heart we need—the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “His Sacred Heart has given men everything: redemption, salvation, sanctification... Through the mystery of this wounded Heart, the restorative tide of God’s merciful love continues to spread over the men and women of our time. Here alone can those who long for true and lasting happiness find its secret.” (St. John Paul II) St. Peter Julian Eymard instructs us, “Let us learn to honor the Sacred Heart in the Eucharist. Let us never separate them.” The holy gift of the Eucharist can only be fully explained by His perfect love, fully present in His Sacred Heart. When we partake of our Lord’s banquet, when we are united through that most intimate moment in the consumption of the Eucharist, we are infinitely connected to Him, and through His Sacred Heart, connected to all whom He loves. At that moment, from our presence there, we can partake of His courage, of His compassion, of His mercy. May we be transformed; may our hearts be lit on fire… The Sacred Heart is always depicted on fire, signifying the transformative power of His love for us. If we make an offering of our very selves, uniting it to the offering of the Paschal Lamb, the divine fire of His Sacred Heart can both consume and transform us. We are no longer just us, but He who loves us, a perfect connection. One heart, one mind… “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32). The Sacred Heart, the Holy Eucharist, and Love itself are one and the same thing: “Cor Unum.” One Heart. We pray to you, our ever-loving Lord, let your Sacred Heart be our treasure, for where our treasure is, there also will our hearts be. Like Mother Mary’s Immaculate Heart, one heart with Yours. Amen. |
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AuthorsWe are Ivonne J. Hernandez, Rick Hernandez and Laura Worhacz, Lay Associates of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, and brothers and sisters in Christ. |