We can learn a lot from children. We can almost always guarantee the honest truth from their lips, too. If you ever really want to know how your new haircut looks, just ask a seven year old. Children not only say it like it is, they also have hearts pure enough to perceive deep truths about God. My cousin’s daughter, Lyla, attended a Christian preschool. One day the teacher was sharing with the children about Jesus living in their hearts. She turned to Lyla and asked her, “What do you think Jesus is doing in your heart?” Lyla looked up and innocently said, “He’s eating an avocado.”
This endearing story actually came to mind recently as I was, believe it or not, praying with the Book of Revelation. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Putting aside the charming humor of Lyla’s answer to her school teacher, their interaction in the light of this scripture passage provoked several genuine questions.
When was the last time I actually stopped to consider what Jesus is doing in my own heart? Do I recognize His presence, His intimate nearness, His life within me? Am I listening closely enough to recognize His voice? What does He want to say to me today? Am I consistently opening the door of my heart and inviting Him into every situation of my daily life?
Jesus stands at the door of my heart and knocks. He not only knocks, He speaks. He not only speaks, He desires to enter. He not only desires to enter, He wants to share a meal. Great is the intimacy that Our Lord wishes to have with me. Great is the intimacy that Our Lord wishes to have with each soul He has so lovingly created.
One memory of the Lord knocking on the door of my heart stands out. In the middle of having dinner with my family and the sisters after my Final Profession of Vows, the Lord broke through the conversations surrounding me. His voice resonated in the deepest part of my heart:
"Your joys are now My joys. Your sorrows are now My sorrows.”
Over these last few months, I have heard the phrase “in it together” many times. Sharing a common joy or sorrow is a natural way to feel connected, even with strangers. We’ve all seen this in some way during the pandemic. At times, I can take for granted the profound truth that I am never alone. Jesus is not only with me, He is within me, and I am in Him. Jesus not only shares my joys and my sorrows, He experiences them from the inside. Jesus and I are beyond doubt “in it together” every day.
Right now, Jesus stands at the door of your heart and knocks. As He enters and sits down, what would you like to share with Him today?
Sr. Catherine Mary, CFR