You should love the Lord your God with all your . . .
Heart
How is your heart, dear sister? Mine is tattooed with scars from loving others deeply, and I’m thankful for the beautiful and messy art covering my beating heart. It also has holes where family and friends once dwelled and are no longer with me. Maybe your heart is like mine and has some blocked arteries from armoring in the midst of trauma or wounding relationships. We are all in need of some stints to open our arteries and allow the healing Blood of Christ to flow.
Soul
How is your soul? Right now, my soul feels like it just ran a half-marathon and wants the chocolate milk at the end so desperately that it’s the only thing motivating me to the finish line. It’s fitting for the Lenten season we are in to thirst for the Lord. Today, I recognize my thirst and run to the Lord to pour into my soul till it overflows.
Mind
How is your mind? Mine is tired. It has been a year since the pandemic began, and our lives pivoted over and over again. I am loving God by listening to the body He gave me, including my mind, and resting and recovering from the twists and turns that come at me daily. Our minds need to rest in order to hear God speak. So allow yourself to rest to hear Him say, “I am the Lord your God: hear my voice” (Psalm 81:11).
Strength
Where do you find your strength? All too often we rely on our strength alone and not the strength of the Holy Spirit. I know I do this daily. Only when I pray an examen at night do I see where I failed to rely on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, specifically the gift of fortitude.
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
This is key; we must first love ourselves in order to love our neighbor. How are you allowing God to love your heart, soul, mind, and strength? When we receive His love, we are able to return it to Him, apply it to ourselves, and give it to our neighbor.
Run to the Lord. // @socaltriciatClick to tweet
Walk through the Gospel reading again today.