A Heart of Love

   We speak of our heart as the symbol of our humanity.  Our hearts break with sorrow; burst with happiness; blossom in love.  We think of our heart as being the place where our emotions reside; where our faith is held and grows.  The image of our heart that I like best is the place where our love resides.  We hold those we love in our heart, we give our heart in love and our heart can be broken by the loss of love.

   God said, “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 26: 26). This is the healing that our hearts desire and need.  The healing of a God who loves us and wants everything that is best for us.

   We are preparing to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  Jesus taught us the way to repair or replace our hearts of stone with a heart of flesh.  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Matt: 22: 26-39).

Lord, take from us our hearts of stone.

Give us hearts filled with love.

The love with which You love us.

May we love God and neighbor with this same love.

Amen