Bethlehem Hearts

Thursday, December 14, 2023

It is the season of the heart.

Giving hearts, broken hearts, hopeful hearts grieving hearts, grateful hearts.

Our hearts.

This Advent the song that has been on my heart is, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

It is my favorite Christmas song!

It is the song my heart sings in the ups and downs, preparations, excitement and anticipation of Christmas.

The words speak to my heart and in every season of life.

It is the Lord who brings her joy,. It is the Lord who fulfills the desires of her heart.

Isaiah 61:1-2A, 10-11

St. Augustine said that Mary conceived the Word by faith in her heart before she conceived him in her womb (Sermon 215).

"But because of the purity of Mary's heart, she is able to receive the spoken Word from God and magnify that Word with perfect reverberation and echo. Mary's heart is perfectly shaped to receive the Word of God, for she is completely available to God. To rejoice is to be fully open."

Rejoice Advent Pilgrimage into the Heart of Scripture by Fr. Mark Toups

Make my heart your home, baby Jesus.

Make my heart your dwelling.

The chambers of my heart are yours.

My atrium is your manger.

Bethlehem means house of bread.

"Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!" 2 Samuel 7:3

There is no room for sorrow or anger in Bethlehem.

No room for anything but You, little Baby.

O Come, Emmanuel into our hearts!

May your heart be a Bethlehem.

https://youtu.be/K0CP1IeHgWY