CLOISTERING SOULS IN OUR HEARTS

Divine Appeal Reflection  - 130

Today, consider in Divine Appeal 130:  "I order you to pray a great deal and cloister souls in your heart."

To cloister souls in our hearts is to offer them the sanctuary of prayer, sheltering them with love and mercy as we intercede before God. This practice mirrors the physical cloister of religious communities, where monks and nuns live lives of prayer and sacrifice, set apart from the world. The true cloister to which we are called to bring souls is not confined to a mere physical space; rather, it is the Sacred Heart of Our Adorable Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. It is within this Eucharistic Heart, the living and beating Heart of the Church, that souls are drawn into the unfathomable depths of divine love and mercy. Here, in the Real Presence of Christ, we find the ultimate sanctuary, where the faithful are united to His saving grace. The Eucharist is not only the source of life for our souls but also the place where we can spiritually shelter those for whom we pray.

To cloister souls in this ultimate Eucharistic cloister means to offer them to Jesus during moments of adoration, Holy Communion, and prayer before the tabernacle. In this most holy place, Jesus, the Divine Physician, through His sacramental presence, heals hearts and sanctifies lives. Whenever we bring souls to Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament, we enter the most sacred place of refuge and grace. Our Lord waits in the tabernacle for us to come to Him, bearing the souls we carry in our hearts. Longingly, He awaits to receive them, to pour out His mercy upon them, and to draw them into the healing light of His love.

As St. John Paul II once said, "In the Eucharist is the presence of Christ in our midst. We draw from the Eucharist the necessary strength to fulfill our mission." In this mission of intercession, we bring souls to Christ’s Eucharistic presence, allowing Him to touch their lives with His saving grace. The more time we spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, the deeper we can enclose the souls of others in His Heart, trusting in His ability to transform their lives.

Prayer

Our Adorable Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, cloister the souls we carry within us in Your love, and pour out Your mercy upon them. Heal, forgive, and sanctify them by Your divine presence. May Your Eucharistic love draw all souls closer to You, now and forever. 

Sr. Anna Ali of the Most Holy Eucharist, intercede for us.