Heart
My Beloved has a plan for each of us, and sometimes, it rests in the wisdom of the heart and not what we think we really have to do…
In ancient times people believed that wisdom came from the heart and not the head. It is an interesting thing to think about because we spend so much of our lives trying to prove that we know what we are doing. Part of me is constantly in a state of panic, frantically paddling under the water while trying to appear calm face to face.
I used to think I was alone in this, but the more I speak with other people, the more I realise that I am certainly not alone in this. I think there are many people who experience very similar feelings in this regard. The other day I was speaking to a dear friend of mine who was very stressed about all the things that she was required to do. She was quickly becoming overwhelmed with tasks and as such she was very worried that she would not be able to achieve all the things she set out to achieve.
We spoke for a while and soon enough she realised that she – like everyone – would possibly not be perfect and would not achieve everything in the plan and that this was in no way a reflection on her. Rather this was part of the general human condition.
And I have been thinking about that today. You see, almost fifteen years ago, one of my mother’s sisters passed away. She had been sick with cancer for a very very long time, but she had always managed to recover from ever episode and health scare – despite much suffering. Towards the end of her life she was very unwell indeed. However, in her final week or life she had simply collapsed into unconsciousness and slowly drifted away. On her last lucid day, she had been speaking to my mother – her sister. And she had been explaining to my mother that she was going to try to force herself to eat eggs to become stronger because she was very busy and had a lot of work to do. She told my mother that she needed to get the bookkeeping down for the small business that she ran and that she could not possibly die any time soon because she was so busy.
She had died less than two weeks later. And I have been thinking about that today as I have been thinking about what it is in life that fills our heart…
Saint Josemaria suggested, “Why don't you try converting your whole life into the service of God - your work and your rest, your tears and your smiles? You can... and you must!” (“The Forge”, at 679). And I have been reflecting on this – not because my Aunt (may God rest her soul) was focused on the wrong things – because she was not – she was living a good life accepting God’s will, but because the things that she felt were not yet done did not match the things that God felt were not yet done…
And I have been thinking about that today, as I pray for the repose of her soul. For my Beloved has a plan for each of us, and sometimes, it rests in the wisdom of the heart and not what we think we really have to do…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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