Sacred Heartbeat

At last! Christ has risen!

After a long and strenuous Lent, the day arrived upon which our faith and hope is based. On April 12, the Church tasted the joy of Easter once more. For me, the coming of Easter signified a call to taste the Lord in a new way through retreats that shared the dynamic life of the Lord. For, as St. Paul said: “From now on we regard no one according to the flesh, even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 5:16) How would I interpret that?

We’ve all heard too many things that we didn’t need to hear. Right?

We’ve all seen too many things that we didn’t need to see? Right?

We’ve all said too many things that we didn’t need to say. Right?

How can we make up for it? The solution is to engage in the intense experience of a retreat and then to see all as new: “ So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

A New Creation!

The first retreat I attended was an Emmaus retreat, its roots being the appearance of Jesus to His two disciples on the road to Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-32) It was a unique experience of speaking to each other freely in the presence of the Lord, such that, at the end, we could say, “Were not our hearts burning?” I came to see each of these dear people as truly my brother or sister, a fellow pilgrim of Emmaus 161.

My small group at the Emmaus 161 Retreat

This particular retreat movement was founded by two of our Sacred Hearts priests over twenty years ago. And like all things of the Spirit, it has outgrown us. Thank you, Jesus!

The second retreat, sponsored by the local group of the Men of the Sacred Hearts, was one that I had the privilege of preaching for and leading, with the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the central focus, which I connected with Jesus' proclamation of Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

It turned out to be an amazing week-end, better than any of us expected, because Jesus’ Heart was in charge. Take a look at some of the happy devotees!

Of course, it also helped that our beautiful Sacred Hearts Retreat Center manor house and grounds were the setting, letting the participants see and feel God’s beautiful presence just by taking a walk.