“AND YOU YOURSELF A SWORD WILL PIERCE - SO THAT THE THOUGHTS OF MANY HEARTS MAY BE REVEALED.”
On this Day, The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, Mary and Joseph present to God the most precious gift imaginable: the Child, whom they consecrate to God. The Child who owns their hearts.
Today is also the celebration of the consecration of women and men who have entrusted their hearts to God. I invite you into that world of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and the world of consecrated men and women around the globe for a few moments. There is something in that world that binds all together, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, consecrated brothers, sisters, and priests. What is it? I suggest it is a matter of the heart.
At all hours consecrated men and women pray and sing the psalms. The Psalms overflow with the emotions of the soul. The psalms remind us that “When we stand before God, we must not let our heart wander, for if the heart does not pray, the lips move in vain.”
In the psalms, the Heart carries the day.
- “My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed.” {Ps. 57}
- “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart.” {Ps. 9}
- “My heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” {Ps. 13}
- “I keep the Lord always before me…therefore my hearts is glad, and my soul rejoices.” {Ps.16}
- “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” {Ps. 19}
- “You have said, ‘Seek my face,’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’” {Ps. 27}
- “My heart became hot, within me.” {Ps. 39}
- “Create in me a clean heart, O God….The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit, a humble, contrite heart you will not despise.” {Ps. 51}
- “Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.” {Ps. 90}
In Psalm 119, it is the heart that moves us to keep God’s commandments:
“I incline my heart to perform your statutes.”
The psalmist does not say incline the will but the heart. The activity of the heart carries over even into our sleep: “In the night also, my heart instructs me.” {Ps. 16}.
Friends, the psalms are a family of songs in praise of God.
In the world of the Psalms, we find Simeon and Anna, Joseph and Mary at prayer. We find Jesus at prayer to the Father; Jesus at prayer with the ancients, at prayer together; Jesus at prayer with the Church; Jesus, Mary, and Joseph at prayer with your family and with us.
The song of the consecrated Church members is a song that is sung not only on the lips but with the heart.
Amen.
- Father Willy's inspirational homily was recorded live this morning during Mass at the Father Peyton Center. Please view the video on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
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To view Rosary prayer and Mass streaming live, please visit our Facebook page at 11:30 am EST, Monday – Friday. Please invite your loved ones to join us too! (You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
