By Charles Igwe
During a recent audience, Pope Francis gave devotional counsel to the priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Dehonians), urging them to frequently visit their chapels for quiet prayer in humble silence. This guidance was provided on the occasion of the 25th general chapter of the congregation.
Addressing the priests, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of chapter decisions that recognize the value of sacramental life. He highlighted the significance of being diligent in listening to and meditating on the word of God, as well as the centrality of personal and community prayer, especially adoration, as essential for personal and fraternal growth and as a service to the Church.
“May the chapel be the most frequented room in your religious houses, especially as a place of humble and receptive silence and quiet prayer, so that the beats of the heart of Christ may guide the rhythm of your days, modulate the tones of your conversations, and sustain the zeal of your charity,” the Holy Father told the assembled priests.
Pope Francis also underscored that the heart of Jesus “beats with love for us from eternity and his pulse can join ours, restoring us to calm, harmony, energy, and unity, especially in difficult moments.” He encouraged the priests not to fear during challenging times and to remain close to the Lord to achieve unity in moments of temptation.
The Pope then posed reflective questions to the priests: “How can we be missionaries today, in a difficult time, marked by great and multiple challenges? How can you say, in the various areas of the apostolate in which you operate, something significant to a world that seems to have lost its heart?”
Pope Francis provided insight into the essence of credible and effective proclamation: “Here is the secret of a credible proclamation, of an effective proclamation: letting the word ‘love’ be written, like Jesus, in our flesh, that is, in the concreteness of our actions, with tenacity, without being stopped by judgments that afflict us, distressing problems, and the evil that wounds, with inexhaustible affection for each brother and sister, in solidarity with Christ the Redeemer in his desire to make reparation for the sins of all humanity.”
