Jan. 31, 2010: 4th Sunday Ordinary (C)

Someone after a Sunday mass said, "Fr. Paul, congratulations!" "For what?" "Your country took the first prize at an international competition for texting." So I looked it up. Two South Korean students, 16 and 17 year olds, took the first prize in who can send text messages the fastest — and most accurately — on a cellphone. America does not need to cry, however. America took the second prize. So exactly how fast were these Korean students texting? Approximately 7.25 characters per second with their thumb. Combine that with their daily average 250 texts sent per day, and their parents could have $775 texting bill at the end of the month if they didn't have unlimited texting plan. However, do you think that more rapid and frequent texting leads to better and closer relationships? When I see a gathering of young people, I notice that while some are engaged in conversation, few are absorbed into their cell phone, checking and sending texts; simply they are not present to their friends. It further promotes shorter attention spans. The other day I celebrated a mass at a youth retreat out in the country, and before mass started, I said, "Please turn off all your iPhones, Blackberrys, and cell phones." Thankfully cell signal was very weak or non-existent. So it was a moot point, although I caught one playing a game on iPhone during mass.

Can technology help us be in touch with those we love, when we can't be with them? Yes, certainly. Skype, Facebook, Twitter, email, and cell phone allow us to be in touch in a limited way, with those we love. I say limited because no technology can substitute for the personal, face to face encounter between two persons. No technology can transmit the warmth that radiates from a smile, a hug, and simple presence of the whole person. Yet these days, even when you have the persons there for a serious conversation, they are not all there in mind and heart. I'll give you an example. The other day, bunch of us young priests got together to have pizza and fellowship. About the middle of the meeting, many of us, including myself, were grabbing for our iPhones and Smartphones to check email and for texts. Our fellowship ended up being many isolated islands of persons glued to their phones' small screens. Has this ever happened to you?

God has a similar challenge with us. Day in and day out, a preacher or a priest can get up on the pulpit and say, "God loves you. God cares for you." But how will we be convinced that that is true, unless we actually encounter God in our own experience and come away convinced of that truth. It will be like receiving a text message from an unknown sender. Those words appearing on our cell phone will be like an enticing spam, "Win $1000. Just text us back." It's too good to be true, so out of distrust, we hit the delete button.

Early in my college, before I truly believed in Jesus, I read a quite a number of self-help books and had a quite a collection on my shelf. One book promised to "Awaken the Giant Within," and another promised "How to Change Your Mind and Your Life." Were these promises too good to be true? Yes. Was I inspired by these books? Yes. That's why I kept buying them. Inspiration from each book lasted as long as I purchased the next book that promised new success in life. The question kept coming back, "Why do I still feel empty? Is it because I failed to follow instructions from these books?" It did not dawn on me to pick up a bible until I followed my then girlfriend to a non-denominational prayer meeting. There few guys approached me and asked if I was saved. No. Did I want to? Yes, hoping that I was willing to try this for two weeks like my other self-help books. After praying, "Lord Jesus, I accept you in my life as my Lord and Savior. I invite you into my life. Now you are in my driver's seat," I picked up the bible hoping it would bring change in my life. And it did. The first week of tackling the bible, I didn't know what it was trying to say. But something urged me to keep going. By the end of the month, I was more familiar with Jesus whom I have learned throughout my childhood in Catholic Church. He was a truly a living person, and I was encountering him through reading the scriptures.

Now when I hear the following words from the First Reading, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you," I know I'm hearing Heavenly Father speaking to me personally, right now. When I hear the Second Reading where it says, "Love is patient, love is kind..." I know Heavenly Father's love for me is patient, kind, not rude, not quick tempered, does not brood over injury, and does not rejoices over my wrong doings. Heavenly Father believes in me, He hopes in me, and He endures and is patient with my weakness. These are not words too good to be true, fleeting empty promises of self-help books. These are living words, spoken by the Living God who speaks these words right now to me personally.

For many years after that initial encounter with Heavenly Father and Jesus, I have been carrying my bible to mass, reading with expectant faith that God is speaking to me personally. Some people ask me, "Father, how can I get closer to God?" I tell them, "You want to encounter the Living God, our Heavenly Father speaking to you personally by taking scripture, whether the bible or a missallette, to silent prayer. Just as you encounter the Living God during the Liturgy of the Word during mass, you will encounter Him personally during your silent prayer with scripture. Oh by the way, when you pray, please turn off your cell phone so that you won't get a text saying "Win $1000, Just text us back."

Jan 24, 2010: 3rd Sunday Ordinary (C) Sanctity of Life Sunday

Early this week I was over at the convent of Missionaries of Charity to pray with the sisters during their Holy Hour. If you know how these sisters live, you can appreciate what I observed there. As the sisters were praying the rosary, kneeling on the hard concrete, I noticed the feet of one of the sisters. The bottom of her feet were full of callous and bunions. When she walked, she walked with a heavy limp. She didn't grimace or complain, though. There were half as many sisters at that evening prayer. And one of the sisters explained that three of the sisters from Baton Rouge and another three from LaFayette convent left that day to drive down to Miami. The sisters were going to catch a relief-aid airplane bound for Haiti. A thought crossed my mind: 'I wonder what good these sisters will do in all that chaos? They are only bringing their habits and their prayer book. They are risking their lives to do what down there?' Then I remembered a documentary on Mother Teresa that I watched few years ago.

In the documentary, the scene begins with a bomb dropping out of an airplane and hitting a city in Lebanon. This was during the war between Israel and Lebanon in early 1980s. The next scene was a gathering between Mother Teresa, a bishop, bishop's secretary, and a United Nations representative. The UN representative said that there were a number of mentally handicapped children who were in a facility in Lebanon whose care takers have abandoned them. The children were there without anyone to help give water and food to them for several days since the bombing began. The UN representative pleaded for someone to go and take a look at those children. Mother Teresa began by saying that we should be there, perhaps she can go and bring out one child at a time over to the Israel's side. Then the bishop's secretary interjected, saying that they are still in war and we should not risk another lives for this. If there is a cease fire, then we should go check it out. Then Mother Teresa replied, "We should be willing to give up our lives, all for Jesus." In the documentary we learn that Mother Teresa approached US ambassador to Israel to request a security convoy to go visit the children's facility. The ambassador replied, "But Mother we need a cease fire before we can go to the other side." Mother Teresa then said, "I have requested Blessed Mother to grant us a cease fire on her feast day of Assumption which is tomorrow." The ambassador replied, "Mother, I'm glad that you are a woman of prayer. But shouldn't we give Blessed Mother few more weeks so she can work out the details of the cease fire?" The next day there was a cease fire, and the convoy drove Mother Teresa and her sisters over to the facility in Lebanon. It was a chaos in that facility. The children were gaunt and emaciated, lying on their own pool of waste. Many were crying. And all the UN workers and soldiers stood around, not knowing what to do.There were plenty supplies and equipment, but they sat idle because no one knew what to do with those children. Then Mother Teresa entered the room. The first thing she did was to grab hold of a child on the floor who could not stand on his own. She held his head, stroked it, smiled at him, and loved him. In that brief seconds of embrace between this woman from Albania in her blue and white sari and the emaciated Lebanese child there was an exchange of love--a love between a mother and her son. She then pull him into her arms, then handed him over to a UN worker. She said, "We're taking him to our convent in Israel." Then all of a sudden, the manpower, supplies, and equipment found their purpose. In matter of minutes, all the children were loaded up and carried to the other side of the border. At the Missionaries of Charity convent in Israel's side, the children were cleaned, fed, and touched by the sisters. The crying stopped and smiles returned to the children.

As I watched the TV and the saw the photos on the Internet of the desperate situation unfolding in Haiti, I could not help putting myself in their shoes. There in the midst of chaos, under one of the make-shift tents may be a young priest who was just ordained a year and a half ago like myself, wondering how he can instill hope in the people who may have very little reason to hope. Although he may be Haitian and I, a Korean, both of us, as St. Paul says to the Corinthians, "in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit." And because he is essential to this Body of Christ, I who is at another part of this same Body, began praying for him, the unknown priest in Haiti. I have asked those who come in to confession to me, as a penance, to pray for the person in Haiti whose age and circumstance may be similar to them. I know that most of the Catholic churches in Port-au-Prince have been badly damaged to the point that masses can not be said. Being aware of this, whenever I celebrate mass here at Our Lady of Mercy, I pray for all the souls who will die that day in Haiti, and I pray that souls who are alive will find God's peace in the midst of desperation so that they will not degenerate into violence.

We may ask ourselves, "What can I possibly do?" We need to remember the words that Jesus read from the scroll of Prophet Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me, to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind..." These are prophetic words for us, who have been baptized in Christ. We have been given everything necessary to "do something" for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Our station in life may not allow us to drop everything and head toward Port-au-Prince like the Missionaries of Charity sisters. But as part of Body of Christ, we can help those in Haiti spiritually; we can fast and offer sacrifice so that hope may return to their hearts.

I told you that when I heard that six sisters were heading down to Haiti, I had my doubts: 'What good will six sisters do in the face of chaos in Haiti--death, looting, violence, hunger, and desperation?' What can they do when millions of dollars of food, supplies, and soldiers with guns cannot keep order in the midst of desperation? What Mother Teresa has shown is that God's love showered upon just one soul can change hearts of those around the soul. No, the primary goal of these sisters will not be digging through concrete, distributing supplies, or tending the injured. Their primary goal is to do what Mother Teresa has done for that emaciated Lebanese child--to love him as God loves him. Soldiers with guns will not convince someone in desperation to stop looting. But a sister in her simple blue striped habit will change a heart by way she loves. She will demonstrate to those around her that all are children of God and that God will provide, therefore there need not be panic or fall into desperation. We can also change one single heart by asking the Lord to assign us one soul in Haiti who needs our prayers and sacrifices. Yes, our material generosity for them will be essential to restoring their infrastructure and basic necessities. But our spiritual gift for them is even more valuable, for we cannot put a price on hope and peace that we are asking God to grant them.

Daily Homily: Jan. 21, 2010

What word describes the following traits?
A feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one really more rightfully deserves. It's 'jealousy.' Another trait of jealousy is feeling of anguish caused by fear of losing someone or something to a rival.

So let me read you the following passage from today's First Reading:
“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought: “They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me. All that remains for him is the kingship.”

So what is Saul feeling? Jealousy.
So we read, "And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David."

So why is jealousy bad? We read from the First Reading, "Saul discussed his intention of killing David with his son Jonathan and with all his servants."
For most of our situation, when feeling of jealousy arrives, we don't usually go to the extreme of wanting to harm someone. When we are battling insecurity, another person's achievements may come across to us as a threat. What can happen is that we want to disconnect with that person. It puts friendship and relationship in jeopardy. Next time we feel the angst of jealousy creep into our chest stop, think, and discern the source of jealousy. Once we discover why we are jealous, we need to deal with the issue.

Jan. 17, 2010: 2nd Sunday Ordinary (C)

Most of us Americans are used to seeing clean, neatly stocked grocery stores. Most of the items on the shelves show no sign of damage or dust. They seem so perfect. Do you ever wonder what grocery stores do with any items that are not perfect, like items whose package are damaged or the content is settled? They donate some of them to soup kitchens. I was wrestling with one of the donated items during this week at the Missionaries of Charity soup kitchen at St. Agnes. One of the sisters gave me a 10 lb. bag of sugar that settled and became a brick. So with a big knife and a potato masher, I began to chip that 10 lb. brick of sugar. After 20 minutes, a volunteer and I were able to pulverize that brick into a fine granular sugar. The lesson? For some gifts, it takes work and perseverance to bring it to perfection.

This week someone sent me a link to a Youtube video about a young man who plays piano and trumpet. I clicked on it, and there on the piano was a young man about the age of 20 who was on a wheel chair with short stocky arms with his eyes closed, playing the piano. The narrator said, "The piece is called 'Claire de Lune' by Debussy or the 'Light of the Moon.' In the darkness of his eyes and through the sweetness of his hands, when Patrick Hughes plays, it is the music of possibilities." The next scene showed Patrick Hughes wearing the marching band uniform for the University of Louisville on the football field playing his trumpet, sitting on his wheelchair. And behind him was his dad, both chanting the fight cry of the Louisville football team. The narrator continued, "To understand how Patrick Hughes and his father both became a band member of the Louisville marching band, we have to go back when the music began."

The video tells a story of parents whose first son's birth became a time of sadness. Patrick's dad said, "There is just countless number of my dreams that died. My wife and I were devastated. We asked, 'Why us?' We've done everything right up to the birth of our son. Then as the doctor came in each time after the birth, he told us new things that Patrick will not be able to do." Patrick's parents found out that their new son was born with a rare genetic disorder which left him without eyes and limbs that would never fully develop. 'Multiple anomalies,' is the words the parents heard. Patrick's dad said, "One of the hardest things was having to let go of my dream that my son and I would someday play baseball in the backyard." Patrick's father's dreams would come true in a different way. At nine months, Patrick's dad set him on a high chair in front of the piano out of desperation to stop Patrick from crying. And Patrick fell in love with it. He would sit in front of the piano 2 to 3 hours a day, pounding away melodies on the piano. By age 2, Patrick was taking requests and playing them by ear. He began playing old standards by grade school and blues numbers by high school. Then when he was enrolled in the University of Louisville, he was invited to join the marching band and travel with the football team. Patrick's dad said, "If the school is impassioned about Patrick playing, and if Patrick is passionate about playing, then by golly I'm going to give it all to make it happen." So it was decided, Patrick would play and his dad would push him on the field. But that was not all. His dad was at every band practice and to sat beside him at every class.

How did Patrick's dad manage this on top of his full-time job? Patrick's dad worked the grave-yard shift at the UPS. The narrator asked Patrick, "How would you describe your dad's workday?" Patrick replied, "Poor thing. He goes to work about 11 o'clock at night, Monday through Thursday and comes home at 6AM. He sleeps till around 11AM." By the time Patrick wakes up and moves from his bed into his wheel chair, his dad is ready tackle another day, together with his son. His dad said, "Patrick is my hero. What he goes through, it's taught me that I have nothing to complain about. Although I was raised a Catholic, I was never overly religious, and I can't say that faith had occupied an important part of my daily life. My relationship with God was more or less one of convenience. 'Lord, I really messed up here, and I'd appreciate your bailing me out again.' Looking back, during Patrick's childhood the hand of God was in this big time, and in the hopeless moments, God was comforting me and reassuring me. My wife had a big hand in it as well. She was gentle with me, never complaining that I was less than I could and should be. It was like she knew I needed time to someday grow up and come through." Patrick then added, "God made me blind and unable to walk. Big deal! Look at the other things God has given me. He gave me musical gifts that allowed me to meet new people and new opportunities."

Some of us feel like life has given us lemons-things that are bitter and cannot be changed. A great metaphor for that is what happened at the Wedding Feast at Cana in our gospel. Despite careful preparations, wine ran out. It seems like an impossible situation and no where to turn to. The miracle is that the ordinary water was transformed into wine by Jesus. Can a sad and impossible situation be transformed into hope and joy, like the Wedding at Cana? Patrick said, "On the day I was born, you might say I arrived carrying a bag full of lemons, not the kind of thing my family had in mind. My dad wondered, 'Why would God do this to us?' I think my parents would have preferred oranges; they're sweeter and have less bite. But you can't change lemons into oranges, no matter how hard you try. But just because you can't do that doesn't mean you give up. Mom and dad taught me you have to hang in there and learn to deal with what happens to you. And once you do, you discover that lemons are pretty cool and you can make something better out of them, like lemon meringue pie. One of my favorites."

Jan 10, 2010: Baptism of Our Lord

There are many ways to baptize a baby, and the most common that I'm familiar with is pouring water on the baby's head as I pronounce the words, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." There are other ways of baptizing a child, like total immersion. There are some precautions a priest needs to take before doing that, though. I watched a home video clip where a naked baby was immersed in the baptismal font, and immediately coming out of the water the baby boy began peeing.

One of the memorable baptisms that I've done here at Our Lady of Mercy is that of a baby boy. The family requested to expedite a baptism because of the health of the baby's great grand mother. At that baptism, the great grand mother was in the wheel chair, sitting weak with her hair lost to the chemotherapy. She smiled as her very first great grand child was baptized. Within a couple of months of that baptism, she passed away. And I presided at that funeral. I sprinkled her casket and said the following words: "In the waters of baptism she died with Christ and rose with him to new life. May she now share with him eternal glory." As the family placed the white pall over the casket, it reminded me of the white garment that was placed on her great grand baby. At the baptism, the priest says the following words as he places a white garment: "Dear child, you have become a new creation, and have clothed yourselves in Christ. See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven."

Since most of the parents here have already been to baptism, let me ask you a couple of easy questions. What do you answer the priest at the baptism when he asks you, "Parents, what do you ask of God's Church for your child?" The answer should be, "Baptism." I know we don't ask this following question here in the States but it is asked in other countries. It is an easy question: "And what does Baptism grant us?". Take a guess? "Eternal life" Pope Benedict XVI has this to say: "And this is the marvellous reality: a human person, through Baptism, is integrated into Jesus' unique and singular relationship with the Father so that the words resonating from heaven upon the Only-Begotten Son may become true for every man and every woman who is reborn by water and by the Holy Spirit: you are my son, my beloved." The Pope says further, "Baptism is, so to speak, the bridge that he has built between him and us, the road by which he is accessible to us; it is the divine rainbow over our life, the promise of the great yes of God, the gateway to hope and, at the same time, the sign that indicates the road we must take in an active and joyous way to meet him and feel loved by him."

On Monday of this week, I was called to a nursing home to give the Last Rites to an elderly lady. A religious sister led me to the room where she was. A couple of her family members were present. She was laboring heavy breaths, and she seemed like she was ready to breathe her last. I began the prayer by sprinkling her with the Holy Water, saying, "May this Holy Water remind you of your own baptism. May you rise with Christ who baptized you." As I began to pray the Litany of Saints, she seemed as though she came alive. She made a Sign of the Cross and replied to my prayer, "Holy Mary Mother of God," with "Pray for us." As we began to pray the 'Our Father,' she mouthed out the words. Recalling this experience, the Pope's words echo in my heart, "Baptism is the divine rainbow over our life...the sign that indicates the road we must take in an active and joyous way to meet him and feel loved by him." So take Pope's words to heart. He says, "Dear friends, how great is the gift of Baptism! If we were to take this fully into account our lives would become a continual "thank you".

Jan 3, 2010: Epiphany of Our Lord

Most of the Christmas shopping is finished here in the United States, but elsewhere in the world, Christmas shopping is just starting. In Spain and Latin America, Christmas presents are not delivered by a big man in a red suit with white beard. On January 6, most of the Hispanic world celebrates El Dia De Reyes, the Epiphany, remembering the day when the Three Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem, arrived bearing their treasured gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Baby Jesus. A couple of days before January 6th, the children write their letters to the Wise Men, or to their favorite Rey Mago: Melchor, Gaspar, or Baltasar, asking for the presents they would like to receive. On the night, of January 5, the figurines of the Three Wise Men are added to the nativity scene. Before going to bed the children place their old shoes under their bed or in the living room, where the Wise Men will leave them their presents. Some also place outside the house, some hay and a bucket with water for the animals, and even some cookies and milk for Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar. Reluctantly children go off to bed. As soon as they wake up, which is earlier than any other day, they run to see the gifts that the Three Magi left for them. This is also the day when king cakes are baked and sold in the bakeries.

Have you ever wondered how many miles the three Kings from the 'east' had traveled to come to meet infant Jesus? Some say that the 'east' may be Persia or modern day Iran, which means around 800 to 900 miles of travel to the town of Bethlehem. Others say they came from Ethiopia or even as far as China. Can you think of a modern day equivalent of what these three Kings did, traveling far distance to see a spiritually significant person or event, to pay homage, and offer gifts and prayers? Doesn't it sound similar to a pilgrimage? In our spiritual life we take few steps to the left, sometimes few steps to the right, other times we make few steps back, but when we go on a pilgrimage we are walking toward God. We go to God, not perfect, but as we are- with all of our doubts, crisis, sickness, curiosity, adventure, faith, thanksgiving, to ask for favors and to offer ourselves completely. You can go as far as Jerusalem, but you can go as close to as our very own parish, Our Lady of Mercy to behold the Christ child in body, soul, and divinity here in the tabernacle. But when it is so close as our neighborhood parish, we don't feel like we're sacrificing anything. It's a great sacrifice to go on a pilgrimage to places like Jerusalem. First it costs a great deal of money, nearly $4,000. Second, you'll walk a lot and eat strange foods, and get very little sleep because of jet lag. But the rewards of such trip are great isn't it? You get to walk, touch, and kiss the very places where Jesus was born, suffered, died, and risen.

Yet, the distance and the cost may not be essential ingredient to a great pilgrimage experience. I realized this on the New Year's Eve this past Thursday night. At 10:45PM, three newly ordained priests, including myself and several seminarians gathered at St. Agnes Catholic Church at the chapel inside Missionaries of Charity's convent for a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament followed by a mass at midnight. As I knelt there praying the rosary with the Mother Teresa sisters, I was struck by their role as the Three Kings from the East. Most of these sisters were from Calcutta, India which is about 8,700 miles east of Baton Rouge. A Missionaries of Charity sister's possessions include: three saris (one to wear, one to wash, one to mend), a pair of sandals, flour sack underclothes, a crucifix and rosary. They also have a plate and metal spoon, a canvas bag, and prayer book. It took 9 years of formation for a young woman to become a Missionaries of Charity. The aim of each sister is to quench the infinite thirst of Jesus Christ on the Cross for love and souls by the living of the four vows in a spirit of loving trust, total surrender, and cheerfulness; she is to be a carrier of God's love especially to the poorest of the poor, setting all on fire with love for Him and one another, a healing touch of God that cures all diseases; a soothing smile of God that warms all hearts; God's own language of love that all hearts understand. Kneeling there in front of the Blessed Sacrament on that New Year's Eve, it dawned on me that like the Three Kings, these sisters made great sacrifice to come and worship the infant Jesus. They just made me realize that though I did not have to travel great distance to offer gift to infant Jesus, I had yet to give a gift worthy of this King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Certainly, I can take out my checkbook and write a check, but that wasn't enough for this King. We know when we receive a gift, we want to reciprocate with a gift of similar value. For example, if I received a $25 gift card, then later down the line, I want to reciprocate with something of a similar value. So, what gift did we receive from infant Jesus and how much did it cost Him? Our First Reading from Isaiah explains:

Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you...Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you...

And so upon receiving this gift of light in our hearts, we prostrate before Jesus like the Three Kings and open up our own treasures. So what is the gift that is worthy of reciprocating to Jesus? When the sisters, young priests, and seminarians were gazing at the Blessed Sacrament, we were gazing at the Heart of Jesus. That was God's greatest gift to us. Then nothing less than our own heart is worthy of reciprocating back to Him.

Today when we entered the church, the ushers should have given you a handout to keep. Fr. Miles prepared an explanation about consecrating ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the bulletin as well as on this handout. As he wrote, "An act of consecrating oneself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a personal decision, inspired by the Holy Spirit in a moment of spiritual and moral clarity, to surrender one's entire self (all that you are and all that you possess) to the living God through His Son. It is an act of surrendering your will, even though you may not be perfectly ready to do so, because you are motivated by a faith-filled desire to be conformed to Christ and to entrust yourself and your cares to Him." And Fr. Miles and I invite you as your New Year's Resolution to say this consecration weekly if not daily. So please take out your sheet, and we'll recite the first paragraph together:

O Lord Jesus Christ,

I give myself and consecrate myself to Your Sacred Heart, my person and my life, my actions, sufferings and pains, so that I may be willing to make use of my whole being to give You honor, glory, and praise. This is my unchanging desire, to be all Yours and to do all things for the love of You, at the same time to renounce with all my heart whatever is displeasing to You. I therefore take You, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, the assurance of my salvation, the remedy for my weakness, the atonement for my sins, and my sure refuge at the hour of death. (St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)