There is a small garden surrounding the Adoration chapel by my home. All is quiet there, except for the gentle trickling of water from a nearby fountain. Amid the ever-present noise of my ordinary life, I am often called there. His extraordinary love meets us in ordinary places.
The prophet Jeremiah was called during a time of great turmoil in the kingdom of Judah. A time of uncertainty and suffering. A time of noise and confusion. However, the book of Jeremiah reveals to us the truth of God’s love and faithfulness: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31:3).
The Lord loves us and seeks us in every moment. I feel this truth each time I walk through the garden and arrive at the doors of the chapel. As I welcome the silence, I contemplate that there in the monstrance is the Savior of the World, and that He waits for me. He waits for me in this holy space and before Him I find peace. When I am before Him, every thirst within my soul will be quenched. His love will be lavished upon me. The King of Kings, the God of the Universe is with me. This is the intimacy of the Lord. Always so close. He provides eternal nourishment that can heal, transform, and renew places in my heart that I have long abandoned—places where He has remained, gently restoring me to an indescribable beauty, because He is the Divine Physician. In His gaze, in this great exchange of love and the outpouring of my heart into His, I simply pray, “Jesus, may Your Sacred Heart mend mine.”
I believe this is what Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity was referring to when she said, “Make my soul . . . Your cherished dwelling place, Your home of rest. Let me never leave You there alone, but keep me there all absorbed in You, in living faith, adoring You.” Saint Elizabeth kept the Lord in the chapel of her heart, faithfully loving Him and remaining with Him, as He remained with her.
Make my soul . . . Your cherished dwelling place, Your home of rest. // Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET
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Let Us Pray
Jesus, may Your Sacred Heart mend mine. Amen!
For Discussion
How do you prepare a dwelling place for the Lord in your heart?
When can you pause and adore the Lord’s presence in your soul during your daily life?
Leana Bowler is a wife and mother of five little ones. She is a Holy Rosary enthusiast with deep devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Her love for the message of Divine Mercy led her to become a Marian Missionary of Divine Mercy. She enjoys the miracles of family life, strong coffee, and encountering others on this journey to sainthood. She was a contributing author to And Hay Became Holy and Made New: 52 Devotions for Catholic Women.
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