The Spiritual Path of the Heart –
from Chevalier until today
Talk given on the occasion of the
international meeting of the MSC-Laity
at St. Domingo in November 2008
Sr. Stephani Orlowski, msc,
Germany
Part I
Dear friends on the spiritual path of the Heart,
I am grateful to have this opportunity to speak to you
about our MSC-Spirituality as the „Path of the Heart“.
„To be God's Heart in the world“ is the theme of our
meeting here at this nice place. We have heard different talks which contributed
to the understanding of our spirituality. I am sure each and everyone of you
can point out more aspects how this spiritality can be lived.
I gave this talk the title „the spiritual path ... from
Chevalier until today“
But I am not going to repeat what was already said about
Chev. Last year at the congress in Issoudun.
I would like to focus on a certain aspect which seems
very essential to me:
it is the changing and transformation of ones own heart
on this spiritual path.
Jules Chevalier became a seminarian in a time, when the
picture of a stern, punishing God was predominant. Accordingly, a life of
penance and asceticism were taken for granted to be a good christian.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart at that time was like a
countermovement . It was newly revived and promoted under the aspect that Jesus
through his death on the cross had reconciled this strict God.
The young seminarian Chevalier was drawn to the devotion
of the Sacred Heart and found his spiritual home in it.
The decisive spiritual experience was given to him when
one of his teachers pointed out that God's love was revealed in the Heart of
Christ.
This personal liberation and certainty influenced his
further life.
The mission he gave to the communities he founded, was
based on this understanding: GOD IS LOVE!
As St. John wrote in his first letter:
„We have experienced the love of God and we cannot be
silent of what we have heard and seen.“
The desire to become a missionary of the Sacred Heart
did not leave Jules Chev.
And that is where the history of our congregations
began.
To be aware that God in the pierced Heart of Christ has
revealed himself als LOVE, is the center of the Spirituality of the Heart.
In the beginning there was the devotion to the Sacred
Heart.
After Vat. II Father Cuskelly widened this understanding
by an important dimension: not only is the love of God visible in the heart of
Jesus;
but as Sisters and Brothers of Jesus we are also called
to make this love visible in the world. God's love wants to continue to live and work in this world through us.
At the Cuskelly-Symposiom some years ago at Issoudun,
Nick Harnan spoke about the „Incarnation-Spirituality!“ God's love becomes man,
not only in Jesus, but in everyone who believes in this love and has
experienced it in his own heart. The mission to live this way means: to be
God's heart in the world.
This is more than a devotion. It goes deeper. It calles
for the whole person.
This is not possible in the limited time of prayer.
One cannot do it half-heartedly.
It calls for my whole life through uncompromising
commitment.
At the beginning there is the encounter with God and the
experience that God is love, also for me. If I open myself to this experience,
then a process of selfknowledge starts. I see my longings, my shortcomings, my
hunger for God.
I experience my own incapacity to love. This can
cause deep pain.
Thoughts like: I am not worthy, - I cannot do it, - that
is not for me – and other thoughts of self-condemnation can come up,
discouraging me or even preventing me from making a start.
A process of inner cleansing starts. My selfknowledge
can help me to put myself totally into the hands of God.
I cannot do anything else but to expose myself to the
divine cleansing power with an open and ready heart and mind.
I renounce to condemn myself.
Only God can pass judgement on everybody, including
myself.
To hand oneself over in complete trust to God, is not
passiveness, but rather an active let-it-be of the changing power of God's love
in ones own heart.
It is the mystical path of cleansing and grace.
To be God's heart in the world ........ means:
I am God's heart in the world ........ How can it be?
My little heart with all its weaknesses shall be God's
heart?
Or is it a mission which enables me to be a blessing for
others?
Once again:
We
cannot make it work!
It is the cleansing power of commitment that God' love
flows through us like through a channel; or like the light that shines through
a clear window.
The clearer the window, the brighter the light.
This is exactly what the words of the Sermon on the
Mount mean:
„Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see
God“. It means:
to live in this world at every place with a clear,
selfless heart.
„To see God“ does not mean to have a vision apart from
this world. It is rather the experience that there is no place in the whole
universe without God.
In every human beeing, in every flower, in every star I
can perceive the beauty of God, provided my inner eye is clear and my heart is
open; and I don't juge!
If our social commitment for human rights and dignity,
for protection of God's creation does not come from this source – then they are
questionable.
The Path of the Heart has its starting and final point
in the Heart of God.
In unity with the Heart of God ones own heart is
cleansed, changed and transformed in a subtle way. It is now able and ready to
serve with selfless love.
The Path of the Heart changes my relationship to God, to
myself, to people and to the whole creation.
To be God's heart in the world is not given ready- made.
It is a process of transformation caused by God's love.
It is shown through compassion, solidarity and
commitment.
Thank you for your attention!
After the break I will offer you an exercise which will
lead us into silence.
It is meant to prepare our hearts.
Also I will give you some ideas for a respective
formation.
For those of you who would like to have this in writing,
please, write your name in a list and you will get a copy of it.
Jules Chevalier – daily readings
– June 21
The Apostels saw
what looked like
separate tongues of fire resting of the head of each of them.
Why was the
present of the Holy Spirit made known in this way?
Because the Holy
Spirit is really like a burning fire
that cleanes the soul of all defilement;
a bright fire,
that enlightens the mind and dispels darkness;
like a healing
fire that moves gently into the heart, penetrates it, warms and inflames it.
Let us ask him
to come into us and to produce there the same blessed results.
Our darkness
mind needs his light; our tepid soul is too sluggish to possesse an enthusiasme
for heaven: earth holds it captive, creatures absorb it.
O Spirit of God,
come and inflame us with the fire of your love!
(Meditations I, p.
Part II
After this short break i would like to give you an Exercise
to lead you into silence.
I am asking you here in this room:
When was the last time you were completely still?
Without moving, without speaking, without looking for
something,
without wishing for anything -
with an empty mind and an open heart?
Now you are going to have this opportunity!
Please, sit upright on your chair, both feet touch the
floor, be relaxed and calm.
Feel your breath, watch how it comes and goes.
Be aware of what happens in your mind, which thoughts
are there.
Be aware of your emotions and feelings – right at this
moment.
Be totally present, her on your chair with these people
in this room.
Close your eyes and feel how you are present at this
moment.
Feel your breath and be attentive to your breathing-in
and breathing-out.
This one breath, the first in my life.
If thoughts come up, let them pass like clouds in the
sky.
Is your body getting restless, calm it gently with your
breathing.
Listen to the silence which is in you.
Listen and feel the silence in this room.
Feel
the silence!
Feel the silence behind the silence.
Do not think, just feel.
Feel the unitiy with the people in this room.
Feel your breath which unites you with everyone in this
silence and unity.
Sink into the depths of your own heart.
In the stillness of your heart is a presence – another
heart ist beating – Jesus.
Speak this name in the stillness of your heart.
Repeat the name – Jesus – in this inner silence.
Let your heartbeat be one with his heartbeat,
let your breath be one with his breath.
Rest in this silence, breathe, feel, listen into this
silence and infinity.
Silence for 3 minutes
Thank you for going with me in this exercise. I hope, so
you got al feeling to a possibility of the inner silent prayer – the very
simple prayer with the name: Jesus. At
every time and at every place you shall be, it can help you to have an open
heart and mind; and to stay in the unity with the heart of God.
Spiritual Formation - leading into
the Path of the Heart
1. Exercise
leading into silence
- get in touch
with yourself
- get in touch
with God who is waiting for you in your own heart
- get in touch
with Jesus, who leads you, who purifies, enlithtens and sanctifies our hearts.
(Ave admirabile)
-
It
is the silence that confronts me with my desires, longings, with my strengths
and weaknesses, my wounds and bitterness, my dark and unwanted and repressed
sides.
-
On
this path man needs help from spiritual experienced persons who assist in the
acceptance and transformation of oneself,
-
who
assist to go through the heights and depths and perceive the guidance of the
Divine Spirit.
-
Healing
happens inside of us. We cannot make it.
It is important to give support
and encouragement
- to accept difficulties,
- to stay on this path
- and to emerge purified with new
vigour and strength.
- Study and reflection of the
bible, the life and teachings of Jesus
- Study and meditation of the
writings of and about Jules Chevalier in order to be inspired by him and to
deepen ones own spirituality.
to live the practical side of the
Spirituality of the Heart in compassion and tenderness; especially to the poor and suffering people.
In this way we can be „God's heart in the
world“.
Duisburg, October 2008 Sr. Stephani
Orlowski, msc
Jules Chevalier – daily readings – March1
GOD says to me,
I have loved you with an everlasting love!
Me!
It is specifically me
whom God has so loved,
ungrateful me, sinful me.
God of surpassing majesty,
God of supreme beauty and limitless perfection,
God has loved me.
God! .....me!.....
What distance!
The infinite..... and nothing!
Loved!
O God of love,
make me understand this word:
Loved!
He who has always existed has always loved me,
and it is through love
that he decreed my creation from all eternity.
(Retraite, p.
Questions for
the groupwork: