The treasury of his Heart

Today we celebrate St Madeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart, educator, woman of passion and prayer, centred in the Heart of Jesus. As is my custom, a few days ago I asked her what she would like me to say for her feast. When no reply surfaced, and with only one day to go, I asked her a different question. As I wrote a couple of months ago, the Society is engaged in a spiritual journey, in preparation for our General Chapter. In this Province, we're gathering online to pray and reflect with each of the themes. I had been asked to prepare next month's prayer, Happy to have found a treasure, and so yesterday I asked Sophie what was her greatest treasure? 

This time, the reply came within seconds! The Heart of Jesus... and in this moment she answered my original question: she wanted me to write about the treasury of his Heart...

When she wrote our first Constitutions in 1815, Sophie said, in the section about novices, that they are certain to find in the Heart of Jesus an inexhaustible source of strength, grace and consolation. And this idea, of finding everything we need in his Heart, is present throughout her many letters and conferences. But in the opening paragraph of the 1815 Constitutions, Sophie was quite specific, saying in His goodness and generosity, [God] has enlightened [the Church] by revealing the wonderful treasures of grace hidden in the Heart of His Son. 

God's gift of grace: unearned, unmerited, freely given, at times surprising, unexpected, at other times fervently prayed for, enabling us to surrender, or to transcend our limitations; to grow in love, or in zeal or fidelity; or simply giving us the trust and inner strength for whatever lies ahead. Grace which can enable us to respond to a call, whether to free and fill us for mission, or comfort and sustain us in infirmity. Grace which comes in many guises, maybe stealthily, or through my heart's response to a question; grace which can lead to more grace, which is copious, powerful, and, as the well-known hymn says, simply amazing. Grace awaiting us, longing to hold us, as we journey into the depths of Jesus' Heart, through the pain and the woundedness and the joys and blessedness of our lives and our world. Grace in the deepest seams we are invited to mine, in the treasury of his Heart...

Happy feast to you all! And may there be wonderful treasures of grace, in abundance!