This is such a beautiful liturgical time of the year. Today, we find ourselves between the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ last Sunday and the Feast of the Sacred Heart tomorrow, Friday. Meditating on the meaning of these feast days helps us have a more personal encounter with Jesus, our Lord, and grow more keenly aware of the love shown to us.

Love is the root meaning of the gift of His Body and Blood on the Cross and in the Eucharist. In addition, we keep in mind that we are in the middle of a special Jubilee Year, emphasizing our position as Pilgrims of Hope. It all ties together into this one thing: Jesus is love; Jesus is our Rock, our strength, and our peace. His love for us is the source of our hope. The reality of the Resurrection guarantees that our hope is not in vain.

Are you perhaps aware of the beautiful encyclical on devotion to the Sacred Heart (Dilexit Nos) presented by Pope Francis on October 24, 2024? I have been meditating on one number each day. It took some patience to work through the philosophical aspects of the first chapter, but it was so rewarding to ponder some particular numbers. Numbers 81 and 101 have become my favorites and will feed my prayer for a long time to come.

Let Us Pray:

Jesus, teach us how to listen to your Word in the Scriptures, to listen to your Word revealed in prayerful dialogue, to listen to your will silently manifested by the realities and events of daily life. Give us the humility necessary to dialogue with an open heart and to work toward unity and peace.