Living in the Two Hearts

Blessed are they who imitate Our Lady,
​for in imitating her, they imitate Christ.

At the Annunciation, the Divine Heart and the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary beat in one accord; every breath Mary drew gave life to Christ in her womb. The two were inseparable then, and are even more so now - Our Lady always gives way to her Son. 

We see this truth illustrated in the dedication of the months of the calendar year. May - the month of our Mother - gives way to June - the month of the Sacred Heart, and as the Precious Blood (month of July) poured forth from the Sacred Heart, it first gained its very blood from the Immaculate (August) and Sorrowful Heart (September) of His Mother. 

Rightly so, then, it was on May 31st, the last day of Our Lady's month, that began the pouring forth of an entire week of abundant graces during these first few days of the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is through Mary's hands that we receive all from Jesus.

On May 31st, two beautiful sisters were clothed in the holy habit and received their religious name, becoming two more witnesses of Our Lady to the world. As our Lord divested Himself to take upon our lowly nature, so these two novices chose to leave the world behind and put aside secular clothing, to take on the garb of Our Lady and embrace a life in imitation of Jesus Christ.  

Pictured: Sr. Maria Fatima of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament (left) and Sr. Maria Magdalene of Mary, Mother of the Crucified (Right)​

Later in the week we celebrated the glorious feast of Corpus Christi - observing it's proper feast on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday and the external celebration on the following Sunday. The feast culminated in the Cathedral's procession which consisted of three magnificent altars. Though the feast's primary focus lies in the adoration of the True Presence of Christ's Body and Body in the Blessed Sacrament, it is in venerating His Flesh that we honor the flesh of Mary . . . 

Ave, verum Corpus natum de Maria Virgine ... Hail, true body born of the Virgin Mary, Who truly suffered, sacrificed on the Cross for man, Whose pierced side overflowed with water* and blood, be for us a foretaste in the test of death.

To think that these joyful celebration are merely the beginning for just around the corner is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Perpetual Profession of one of our Sisters. 

In a world that is full of busyness and distraction at every turn, it can be easy for us to lose sight of the graces of God. But God never ceases in His generosity. All it takes is but a moment to slow down and see - with the eyes of faith - all that God has done and is doing in our lives. Let us ask our Blessed Mother to give us her eyes, and strive to imitate her in all things. As she always gives way to our Lord, may we continue to brings other to Him; and may she continue to bring us to the heart of Jesus. 

​Praised be the hearts of Jesus and Mary!

First Week of June Slideshow