Hearts

 Day's Saints
John Berchmans, Jesuit
Anastasius, Monk, Martyr
Ez 2:8—3:4
The Lord GOD said to me:
As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you:
be not rebellious like this house of rebellion,
but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you.
It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me,
in which was a written scroll which he unrolled before me.
It was covered with writing front and back,
and written on it was:
Lamentation and wailing and woe!
He said to me: Son of man, eat what is before you;
eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel.
So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat.
Son of man, he then said to me,
feed your belly and fill your stomach
with this scroll I am giving you.
I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel,
and speak my words to them.

Gospel Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

The disciples approached Jesus and said,

“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”

He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,

you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Whoever becomes humble like this child

is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.

And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,

for I say to you that their angels in heaven

always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.

What is your opinion?

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,

will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills

and go in search of the stray?

And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it

than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.

In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father

that one of these little ones be lost.”

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Look, my heart appears before you;
be ready to comfort me.

I was despised, and in the process hurt a lot. The scroll indeed might have been heavenly sweet, but my rejection was bitter. I forgave, and there was enough fault to go around, but the very nature of the rejection made it impossible to forget. I have eaten of the sweetness of the Lord, and from time to time have shared in His passion, but it was not my place to ask to suffer for the souls He loved; I simply suffered, and it is the same today.

I can thank God I had a body in which to suffer, and with which to feel the pain He longed to feel in me, though my heart could hardly move; He made it possible, and I can give thanks that souls did not have to suffer for my fearfulness.

You might consider your reaction, seeing the terror of the painful cross and the flowing of so much blood, that the apostle John remarked about it, like a spring pent up within, burst forth fully when the lance released the treasure from His chest.

You who suffer without release, will not endure it longer than it takes to satisfy His Heart for so much abuse.  How anyone can thrust a sharp lance into a person's side without quivering at the sight of all the blood I will never know, but I know how angry I was on the day the Lord acted to grant what I could never have imagined. Nor did I see my recovery years afterward, nor was it accomplished without many prayers and explanations, lest I falter altogether, anguish throbbing in my chest without relief. But He did what was impossible for me, and He preserved me through the long slow journey of the lance into my heart. From time to time it hurts physically, and often I can scarcely move.

The day when all things are accomplished will be the day when souls are gathered into paradise to satisfy the desire of the Sacred Heart for all to be gathered into one within His Heart. That day will be the beginning of great joys for His Mother too, and She will accompany all blessed souls to their undending reward.

Comfort His Heart and the Heart of His Mother for all the sins of men which have become so great a burden to forgive. Many will suffer in terror so that those Hearts might be consoled. Blessed is he who comes to comfort them from the storehourse house grace within themselves.

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My recertification papers arrived by email this evening. I can live in my apartment for another year, and the rent only went up $8. I am one very happy camper, and I give thanks to those who prayed for me in this matter, and all the saints and angels I implored to intercede for me :)+