Spirituality of the Heart has its foundation in and grows out of the vision of Jules Chevalier, a vision about a way of living the Gospel that has a particular emphasis on the the compassionate heart of Jesus.
Image: Gemma FarrugiaFor the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and the wider Chevalier Family, the heart of Jesus reveals a God who is love and who loves creation intimately and unreservedly.
The presence of God at the heart of the universe makes the world sacred and this presence draws us to transcend our own being through love, a love that has as its source the Heart of God.
Spirituality of the Heart reverences the human heart as loved by God unconditionally, and as the privileged place of encounter with God. Living such a spirituality involves making the journey into one’s own heart and into the heart of the human condition, open to encountering there the compassionate heart of Jesus.
It is this encounter that has the potential to open our hearts so we can live differently. Spirituality of the Heart invites us to be aware of the movements and responses and yearnings of our own hearts and the hearts of those around us and to be open to the presence of God. This way of living opens up enormous possibilities for life and love and offers a challenge to grow ever more deeply in kindness, compassion, humility, forgiveness, understanding, hospitality, simplicity and a sense of humour.
Spirituality of the Heart leads us from our own hearts to the pain and suffering of the world in which we live. We are called to be God’s Heart on Earth and to offer ourselves to be used as source of healing for the wounds of the world. We believe, as did Chevalier that this love is the remedy for the ills of the world.
Spirituality of the Heart is a missionary spirituality It calls us to be everywhere, in every culture and at every level of society. Religious, diocesan priests and laity all share this mission; the laity have a unique role to play in this mission and are indispensable to it.
Spirituality of the Heart is lived together with Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, who formed and carried the heart of Jesus and who points us to his heart.
A Spirituality of the Heart is a way of living – a way of being in the world…a journey to be travelled (with others),…an energy that sustains and moves us, a dance in which we are participating… a way of being in the world, in relationship to self, others and God; a way of coming to rest within ourselves, at our deepest centre.” James Maher msc
Chevalier Institue - 2020
More on Heart Spirituality
- Spirituality of the Heart is the foundation of MSC Spirituality
- Spirituality and Devotion
- Heart Spirituality and Scripture
- Movements of the Heart
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
- The Gospel with Flair. Spend Yourselves. Be Different. Downlands Oration 1990, by Bishop E. James Cuskelly MSC
- Spirituality of the Heart – An Online Course
The pointers below indicate some of the vision for Heart Spirituality,
In our Christ centred and incarnational spirituality, God in Jesus loves us with a human heart.
Our spirituality is grounded in the belief of God’s love for us: the heart of Jesus is the Heart of God.
An incarnational spirituality, it is lived out in our relation with others, in our daily activities and in how we carry out our mission. It is creation oriented spirituality - a cosmic spirituality.
On behalf of creation we called to worship. This orientation should develop in us sacredness for all things.
It includes a journey into our own heart. We go down to the depths of our hearts where we encounter our deepest needs and yearnings, and in encountering and experiencing God 's personal love for us, are moved to share with all the love we have experienced.
It is a socially concerned spirituality which can heal the wounds of the world. In our spirituality we find a remedy to cure our world's ills. Our presence and the way we carry out our mission without limits is a force in the world.
It is a missionary spirituality that is without limits - everywhere - at every level of society. Religious, diocesan priests and laity are called to share this spirituality. The laity are indispensable to carry our spirituality of the heart.
It is lived together with Our Lady of the Sacred, the first missionary of his heart. With Mary who stood with Jesus at the foot of the cross we also stand.
Our spirituality is a whole way of life guided by the Spirit. It is a comprehensive way of living.
