Pondering your unfathomable love in my life, Lord, I can retrace it clearly in the scriptures, since your word permits me to traverse the pilgrimage of my heart lured by your Sacred Heart.

You thought of me:
Contemplating the thought of your future bride you whispered within your divine self: “I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. And there I will give her her vineyards… And in that day you will call me, my husband… and I will make for you a covenant… And I will betrothe you to me forever….in steadfast love, and in mercy.”(Hosea 2: 14, 16, 18-20).

You formed me for yourself:
Your thought then gave way to conception, for “You formed me for Yourself” (Isaiah 43:21). “My redeemer who formed me from the womb….to be your servant” (cf. Isaiah 44: 24; 49:5). Thus, within my mother’s womb you patiently waited for the appointed time to arrive.

You called:
Three decades beyond my mother’s womb, from a distance and in the silent desolation, I began to hear within my heart the soft murmurings of my Beloved, speaking tenderly to me: “For your maker is your husband…. for the Lord has called you… with an everlasting love I will have compassion on you… and my steadfast love shall not depart from you” (Isaiah 54:5, 6, 8, 10).

The discovery:
Though I had traveled far from you, the “hound of heaven,” sought on tirelessly (Francis Thompson). And “even while still a long way off” (Lk15:20), “You called, shouted, broke through my deafness, you flared, blazed and banished my blindness…. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.” (St. Augustine, “Confessions”).

Betrothal:
You stooped down to me, brought me to your side and called us to become one. To unite us, you poured yourself out and gave yourself up for me that you might sanctify me, cleanse me by the washing of the water and the word — to present me to yourself… that I might be holy and without blemish. (Cf. Ephesians: 5:25-27). And so “You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for (this union with) you.” (St. Augustine).

Rejoicing:
And now perennially united with the heart most one with yours, my heart sings along with Mary a Thanksgiving hymn to my beloved: “My soul does magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” for you have looked at the lowliness of your servant and in your condescension drew her to your self.” (cf. Lk.1:46).

This is Sister Silvia’s last regular blog for Let’s Talk. Her place will now be filled by someone else from her community, Sister Grace. For more information on the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, go to: www.piercedhearts.org.