Expand Our Hearts

This past weekend was one of the best in awhile.  I didn’t have any big plans and didn’t go anywhere far.  But what I did do was something more valuable and better than anything else I can think of.  With the retreat going on at my parish, I was able to spend a good amount of time sitting before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.  To be able to drive just three minutes late at night or early in the morning to spend time in Eucharistic adoration not one, not two, but three days in a row was truly a gift that I didn’t know how much I needed.  Spending time in the small, cozy and warm makeshift chapel, lit by a few lamps brought so much peace to me.  I could have stayed there all weekend.  We all need these these kinds of experiences to help remind us of God’s love for us and to be filled by that love.

This weekend, I read a book called Breath of God, Living a Life Led by the Holy Spirit by Father Dave Pivonka.  One of the chapters discussed the concept of expanding our hearts.  He explained how we need to continually ask God to fill our hearts because they may leak over time due to things like lack of attention and sin and they can slowly deflate.  “God wants to give more of his spirit to us, to expand our souls, to bless us with more of his grace, his gifts, and more of his very life.  ”As I sat in adoration this weekend, I asked the Holy Spirit to fill my heart up so that I could love more and have a deeper faith.  And I am not lying when I say that I truly felt my heart being filled and expanded.  Sitting before Jesus, I experienced love that is more powerful than anything in the world and an increased desire to deepen my relationship with Him.

To the outside world, this all probably sounds crazy.  But when you experience those moments of intense peace and love, there is no denying the reality of our faith and the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.  It is these moments that expand our hearts and our capacity to love.  When we allow ourselves to be filled with this love and this peace and all of the fruits of the Spirit, they will overflow into every aspect of our lives and permeate our whole being.

So how do we fill and expand our hearts?  The simplest way is to sit before God in prayer and ask Him.  As Father Dave explains in the book, “God wants us to ask for more of His presence.”  We need to continually pray and not be afraid to ask.  If we ask God with a real desire and sincere hearts, He will provide.  Whether it’s in big, overwhelming moments or the small, ordinary moments of our days, God will show us His love and fill us.    
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My prayer is that you would be able to sit before Jesus and experience your heart being expanded by the love and peace that only He can bring.