Fr. Frank Majka, SJ – The Bridge

A Simple Valentine’s Prescription

“Sclerocardia” sounds like the name of a medical condition, but it actually describes not a physical condition but a spiritual one. It means that our hearts (our souls, if you will) which are meant to be loving, tender, open and welcoming are angry, judgmental and closed to others. We are, in other words, hard-hearted.

Where does such a condition come from? It may come as the result of being unloved, being subjected to unending criticism or having too many experiences of failure and rejection. All of these, over time, make a person almost incapable of living a life of faith, hope or love.

Every February many of us celebrate Valentine’s Day, when we are invited to express our love for others and receive the love of others for us. To practice this every day, or as often as we can, is the prescription for counteracting hardness of heart. If we followed that prescription there would be more peace in the world and our hearts would come to more and more resemble the heart of Christ.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!  ♥️