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Father in the Heart of Jesus we become, along with our weaknesses, faults and limitations, a sign of the holiness of God and of hope to others. In the Heart of Jesus, a Christian is inspired and uplifted by his great love. Uniting our human hearts with the Sacred Heart will help make all of us channels of hope and visible signs of God’s merciful love to humanity.

      The Mystical Body

      Each Christian is part of Christ’s mystical body the Church. As the Apostle Paul wrote, the body of Christ is made up of many parts. Each person is a cell within this body. The blood of Christ, which pulses from his Sacred Heart, nourishes and energizes all Christians so that they strive to live in hope and contribute to the good of humanity. Jesus’ Heart beats for humanity’s salvation and is pierced by humanity’s sins. Choices by humanity range from contributing to the well-being of the mystical body to fighting against it. To choose the latter is to become like diseased cells in the body of Christ. If the latter is chosen a Christian can seek reunion by praying and receiving spiritual direction and the sacraments, thus becoming a healthy cell once again.

      It is regrettable to remain permanently angry with the Church because of some dispute with a priest, a parish, or a doctrine. If all the facts were known it could be possible that there was no reason for the dispute in the first place. Negative ruminations can drain energy, destroy hope and increase bitterness. What are the real reasons behind a dispute? Could it be ignorance, misinformation, laziness, or a strong attachment to one’s own opinion? It takes courage to uncover authentic truth. When deeply hurt by a priest, religious or lay member of the Church, it takes a high degree of inner strength to say, and to truly believe, the words of Jesus: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

      Jesus is the King, and the Church is a kingdom of sinners, Jesus is the Shepherd, and we are the straying sheep, God is the Father, and Christians are his wayward children. The Church isn’t a country club for the elite, it is a hospital for sinners. The Church is a family. Members can be frustrating, scandalous, irritating; they will never be perfect. But, when things go wrong, family members do not give up on each other. As Peter said: “To whom shall we go?” Jesus is one with his Church. When he appeared to Saul he didn’t say, “Why are you persecuting my Church?” He said, “Why are you persecuting me?” The Church is the mystical body of Christ. Benedict XVI said: “Despite human weakness, despite difficulties and trials, the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit, and the Lord will never fail to give his aid in sustaining the Church on her journey.” The Catholic Church is a fascinating, ancient, complex, living, global, mystical, jocular, solemn, enchanting bride of Christ.

      Mater et Magistra

      The central purpose of the Church is to praise the Triune God, and to assist in making people holy. G. K. Chesterton compared the Church to a house with a thousand doors. And inside these doors we see a diversity of saints, scholars, scientists, educational and health care institutes, artists and their religious masterpieces, musicians and their inspirational music, holy places, holy families, religious orders, secular institutes and much, much more. At the center of this house stands Jesus with his loving Heart and open arms, saying, “Come to me.” Ever exploring this wondrous house, the Christian realizes the harmful effects of brooding about past situations, and instead pays attention to present discoveries, for above each door are the words “Hope to all who enter here.”

      The Church is much more than an institution, a system of legalistic rules, or hierarchy. It continues the mission of Jesus and fosters a way of life that sustains sound morals, purpose, and direction toward that which is most noble, most beautiful and most sacred to the human person. A Catholic life lived rightly can be an intimate walk with God. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil 4:8).

      John Henry Newman wrote:

Trust the Church of God implicitly even when your natural judgment would take a different course from hers and would induce you to question her prudence or correctness. Recollect what a hard task she has; how she is sure to be criticized and spoken against, whatever she does; recollect how much she needs your loyal and tender devotion; recollect, too, how long is the experience gained in 1800 years; and what right she has to claim your assent to the principles which have had so extended and triumphant a trial. Thank her that she has kept the faith safe for so many generations and do your part in helping her to transmit it to generations after you.12

      A Christian walks into an old, quiet Catholic church and may see the flicker of candle flames in a rack, each flame representing a prayer. Someone may be saying a rosary at Mary’s altar, someone else making the Stations of the Cross, yet another praying quietly at the back of the church. All is hushed in an atmosphere of otherworldliness. Years ago the Church was referred to as Holy Mother Church, and rightly so. She is the haven from the hurts on earth. She is like a mother who holds her young child’s hand as they cross a busy street. These days we need a strong mother who protects and defends us from the exigencies of modern society. Be careful, she says to us. Remember we are children of God and somehow things work out if we do our best and trust in Divine Providence. Christians should not be overwhelmed with the mechanics of the Church. Rather they must see the Church as the channel for the message, mission and mystery of Jesus. It isn’t the what of externals around us, but the who of Jesus within us. Holy Mother Church is wise and holy, she wants her children to get to heaven and she has been around for a long, long, long time. Indeed, the Church is our mater et magistra, our mother and teacher.

In April of 2005 the newly elected pope Benedict XVI came onto the front loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica to bless the crowds. Gathered around him on the adjoining balconies there appeared all of the cardinals who had just chosen him. The news cameras caught the remarkably pensive expression on the face of Cardinal Francis George of Chicago. When the cardinal returned home, reporters asked him what he was thinking about at that moment. Here is what he said: “I was gazing over toward the Circus Maximus, toward the Palatine Hills where the Roman Emperors once resided and reigned and looked down upon the persecution of Christians, and I thought, Where are their successors? Where is the successor of Caesar Augustus? Where is the successor of Marcus Aurelius? And finally, who cares? But if you want to see the successor of Peter, he is right next to me, smiling and waving at the crowds.”13

      Dark before the Dawn

      Christians will experience barren trees on their holiness landscape. There will be times when all seems cold and dark. If there is a feeling that time spent in spiritual pursuits is squandered, Sister Wendy Beckett responds: “Body and soul may feel we are wasting our time. Hope smiles and ignores them.” The light in hope is an inspiration to find God’s grace in the dark problems of life. Without hope, hearts would easily break. Adversities of many kinds are a part of life. People spend much time praying that their troubles will end. However if they do not, God can change the way people look at them. Hard times can bring people closer to Jesus, increase love and hope and be a channel to a bare-bones trust in God. Sometimes it seems as if our little flame of hope has been blown out. However, we must remember that it is possible to find God when life becomes thoroughly confusing or disappointing, when all is mystery, and when we are in the depths of pain. We are human, and at times, it is common to think about “what if. . . .” What if I lose my health, fail this test or lose my job? This type of thinking takes us to the bottom of the valley of the shadow. “What if” negatives can shut a person down.

      The earth lies cold and dark,

      and blackened trees

      are sentinels of silhouetted

      loneliness against the bleak, stark nakedness of day.

      Unwarmed, unwelcome,

      I make my way through

      landscape damp and chill:

      even the birds are silent;

      even the trees are still!

      I listen to my heavy step:

      I

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