NOR CAN THERE BE AUTHENTIC DIALOGUE UNLESS WE ARE CAPABLE OF OPENING OUR MINDS AND HEARTS, IN EMPATHY AND SINCERE RECEPTIVITY, TO THOSE WITH WHOM WE SPEAK

POPE FRANCIS

If you type into Google ‘define heart’, google will give you the following definitions;

1. A hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation.
2. The central or innermost part of something.

The heart is not just something inside of us but it is life. We use the heart as a symbol for so many things but what is its function, its purpose?

Put simply, a heart receives blood from the body, deoxygenated and lifeless. It is pushed into the lower chambers of the heart, where it is then pumped into the lungs where an exchange takes place. That re-oxygenated blood gives it life and through our breathing it passes back into the heart. Again, it is received from the lungs and pumped out into the body, to nourish, to heal, to transport necessary life-giving properties to keep our bodies functioning at their absolute best.

Pope Francis uses this analogy in describing our partaking in God’s mission. Our hearts must beat forcefully for the mission we are a part of and through this you can serve as a powerful reflection of what we are about. The same can be said for our involvement in the Worldwide Vincentian Family.

We aspire to be recognised as a caring Catholic charity, aspiring to live the gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice, hope and joy.

If we are the heartbeat of the Vincentian Family and we first and foremost are receiving his love, we are being transformed by the breath of the Spirit, and pumping life into our areas of service.

If we are not passionate about what we are doing, or finding the service fulfilling, how are we pumping life into our various good works? What are we doing to keep your heart pumping for justice?

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

• What do we do to keep your heart pumping for the mission of the Family?
• What do we find most fulfilling abut the good works we are involved in?

From: Firewood for the soul, vol. 1, A Reflexion Book for the Whole Vincentian Family
St. Vincent de Paul Society, Queensland, Australia.
Text by: Samantha Hill.