Scripture Scribbles: June 1, 2025

the Gospel

John 17:20-26

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:

"Holy Father, I pray not only for them,

but also for those who will believe in me through their word,

so that they may all be one,

as you, Father, are in me and I in you,

that they also may be in us,

that the world may believe that you sent me.

And I have given them the glory you gave me,

so that they may be one, as we are one,

I in them and you in me,

that they may be brought to perfection as one,

that the world may know that you sent me,

and that you loved them even as you loved me.

Father, they are your gift to me.

I wish that where I am they also may be with me,

that they may see my glory that you gave me,

because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,

but I know you, and they know that you sent me.

I made known to them your name and I will make it known,

that the love with which you loved me

may be in them and I in them."

the scribble

Hardness of heart is something that I have always struggled with. I wasn’t born with a heart of stone. My sensitive nature, easily hurt by family member infractions, caused my heart to harden as I constructed protective barriers. A memorable confession 20 years ago began the break down of these walls. “You need to forgive and love,” my confessor said gently and calmly. “I can’t!” I responded stubbornly, somewhat shocked by my audacity to challenge a holy priest’s guidance. Undeterred by my childish response, he leaned closer, looked me straight in the eye, and slowly, clearly, and firmly intensified the words, “Yes, you can.” He leaned back and continued, “With God’s grace, you can do anything.”

I was stunned to silence by this foreign concept, pondered, and allowed the words to penetrate my soul. How do I begin to get past the hurt? “It is not in our power not to feel or to forget an offense; but the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in transforming the hurt into intercession.” (CCC 2843)

When I give my wounded heart to Jesus, He will heal, purify my heart, and transform the heart of the one who hurt me, “that the love … may be in them and I in them.”

This divine love “has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5) Allow Christ’s love to fill, heal, and transform us.

Today’s devotion was written by Karen Molvar