Heartstrings IV

June 28, 2018June 30, 2018 / J. Thorp / 2 Comments

Blogger’s Note: This is the latest in a collection of daily posts outlining my journey to the Sacred Heart over the past year or more. See an overview and links to past posts here.

One more short post: As I look around me, I see all sorts of images of Jesus’ crucified Sacred Heart, the source of Divine Mercy, now.

In summer of 2016, we handed out a prayer card at our staff retreat. On one side was an image of the Sacred Heart, and on the other, the Anima Christi (Soul of Christ) prayer, which has become a favorite of mine for just before or just after receiving Holy Communion:

Anime Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ’s side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen

“Within thy wounds hide me” seemed like a strange line at first, but as I’ve journeyed closer and closer to the source of Divine Mercy, His pierced Sacred Heart, the more sense it makes to me…

Heartstrings III

June 27, 2018June 27, 2018 / J. Thorp / 1 Comment

Blogger’s Note: This is the latest in a collection of daily posts outlining my journey to the Sacred Heart over the past year or more. See an overview and links to past posts here.

It’s been a busy week, with the Totus Tuus program in full swing at Saint Andrew (plus the completion of my reconsecration to Mary on this Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help), so I’m sticking with another short “cheater” post—another “heartstring” connect me to the Sacred Heart.

Perhaps I’ve felt particularly drawn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (and Mary’s Immaculate Heart) only in the past year or so, but the image below shows the first religious artwork we purchased together and displayed prominently in our home.

O Heart of Jesus pierced for our sins and giving us your Mother on Calvary! O Heart of Mary pierced by sorrow and sharing in the sufferings of your divine Son for our redemption! O sacred union of these Two Hearts! Praised be the God of Love who united them together! — from the Prayer to the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary, which I just discovered today

Heartstrings II

June 26, 2018July 1, 2018 / J. Thorp / 1 Comment

Blogger’s Note: This is the latest in a collection of daily posts outlining my journey to the Sacred Heart over the past year or more. See an overview and links to past posts here.

As with my first “Heartstrings” post, I keep noticing little connections to the Sacred Heart from earlier in my family life.

Posted to Facebook, Sept. 4, 2011: “A little end-of-summer love: Gabe saw it first; Emma noted that she was wearing her Burning Love t-shirt (featuring 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: ‘Love is patient, love is kind…’), and Trevor noticed it has three nails in it, just like Jesus…”

This is the shirt Emma was wearing in the post above. Notice the image of the Sacred Heart on it. I picked it for her.

More Connections: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

June 25, 2018June 26, 2018 / J. Thorp / 1 Comment

Blogger’s Note: This is the latest in a collection of daily posts outlining my journey to the Sacred Heart over the past year or more. See an overview and links to past posts here.

I mentioned in my last post that Kate and the Engel clan had a young-reader biography of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque lying around and I began reading it while I was alone at the lake. The book was Saint Margaret Mary and the Promises of the Sacred Heart by Mary Fabyan Windeatt, and if you laugh to imagine me reading the book pictured, you might be surprised that I couldn’t put it down.

It’s not a brilliant novelization or spiritual classic—but began to draw together months’ worth of disparate threads into one taut cord between me and the Sacred Heart.

Continue reading →

Spiritual Cardio, Part 2

June 24, 2018July 12, 2018 / J. Thorp / 2 Comments

Blogger’s Note: This is the latest in a collection of daily posts outlining my journey to the Sacred Heart over the past year or more. See an overview and links to past posts here.

My departure from home to the Engels was bittersweet, of course. I was sad but resigned to going solo and making the most of my time alone with God. Even as I drove, I prayed for the ability to forgive my family, for Jodi (and Emma) to forgive my anger and hurtful words, and for God to have mercy on us all.

I arrived after dark, opened things up and turned on the lights, then turned Bruno and Dusty loose in the house together. Immediately they began tearing around the house, wagging, snarling, rolling, and wrestling. I began streaming the Friday night blues programming from Jazz88 and opened the windows to the lake breezes and nightly noises, then cracked a beer. I sat, watching the dogs, listening to the blues, nursing a beer, and feeling calm but discontented. Continue reading →