The Monstrance of Our Hearts

I heard it said that our hearts are like a monstrance, the vessel that holds the Blessed Sacrament for adoration.  A monstrance is lovely. It’s made of precious metal, can be intricate, and may even be decked in jewels.  Its value lies not in its design or material, its price, nor the beauty of the church it is contained in.  

By itself, a monstrance makes no sense.  One could attempt to use it for something else with a little creativity, such as an odd picture frame, fancy trophy, or maybe a disfigured dumbbell.  However, it would not achieve integrity or be true to its purpose: it is, after all, a palace as it houses the King of the Universe, right in the middle, at its core.  It was made to showcase Jesus.  Even the word monstrance comes from the Latin word “to show”.  

The luna, which holds the Sacred Host at the center, is fit and made just right for its Inhabitant.  In that emptiness, what was lacking is suddenly complete and absolutely radiant.  Our hearts are the same. “In my deepest wound I saw your glory and it dazzled me, ” wrote St. Augustine in his Confessions.  There is a gap, an ache, a longing in all of our hearts that only Jesus can fill. Our hearts were made by and for Him.  No other relationship, aspiration, or success - no matter how good they can be - can ever take His place.

Can we let Jesus reorder our loves and place Him back at the center of our lives today?  Can we put His Sacred Heart on display for others to encounter Him through our words and actions? May we show Jesus all of our hearts today, and give others the chance to be truly seen.