By Sister Mary Shaw, ASC
June is the month dedicated to the Heart of Jesus. Perhaps it is a good time to look at our own heart, for, as sacred Scripture says, “what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.” It seems all of our activity comes from our heart, the seat of intellect, will and desire.
Pope Francis waxes eloquently on the experience of an encounter. There is no true communication without an encounter. Francis says in his third encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti,” or fraternity and social friendship, that “we gorge ourselves on networking and lost the taste of fraternity.”
Recently, a friend and I discussed encounter and she said, “Thanks for reminding us of the miracle of encountering.”
I wondered, is it a miracle to stop for 30 seconds to greet a fellow colleague at work? Is it a miracle to call rather than text a friend or family member?
What will season our taste for fraternity? I recall being told about someone who sent an email but did not receive a response. Ah, but I reminded them, not to respond is to respond.
At the end of the day, June is a great time to take a heart check and see how you are responding and seasoning your relationships.
Lord, grant us a heart of flesh to hear the cries and to heal the open wounds as the Good Samaritan responded.
Help me to realize the neighbor is the one in need, the sister in need, the migrant in need, for what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.
Increase, O Lord, the taste of fraternity or social relationships. For, what fails to come could be due to a calcified heart resulting from a diet of gorging on networking.