The Grace of a Listening Heart
The tomb of Saint Margaret Mary in Paray-le-Monial, France. It was in this very chapel, at the Visitation Convent, that Christ appeared to her to reveal his Sacred Heart between 1673 and 1675. Above the tomb is the inscription: “I appoint you heir to my heart.”
This image was taken by the author and is used with her permission.
[Editor’s Note: In June of 2026, the United States bishops will consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In honor of that consecration, we are inviting blog writers to write articles and creative works about the Sacred Heart from the perspective of an ACOD. If you would like to write an article or creative work about this topic, please reach out to us.]
I grew up in a broken household. My parents got divorced when I was nine, and ever since, I have been on a continuous healing journey. The Catholic faith was a part of my life very early on. However, witnessing my parents’ behavior and the failure of their marriage led me to believe that God did not really care about me. Otherwise, why would He let this disaster happen? During my teenage years, I was very angry at God. Though never doubting His existence, I had simply decided that I would be better off taking care of myself alone.
In April 2018, when I was sixteen, the high school I attended organised a pilgrimage to Lourdes, in France, where Mary appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous eighteen times in 1858. Five days away from my parents? Of course I’m in! Little did I know that the Lord was waiting to meet me there. I went to confession. The few minutes spent with the priest, telling him all about my despair, sadness and loneliness, are unforgettable. I cannot even remember if I actually confessed any sins, but it surely was new to feel listened to. Before he granted absolution, the priest said two things that I have been meditating on for the past eight years:
Pray often for your parents because if you do not, who will?
Ask God to give you an abandoned heart
For a long time, I could not figure out what he meant by “abandoned heart.” I thought that my heart had already been “abandoned” enough because of everything I had gone through. It took me a few years to realize that this priest was guiding me towards the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre is a world famous basilica in Paris, which is dedicated to the Sacred Heart. In the beginning of 2023, I decided to go spend one night there and pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament for a few hours. The basilica was bathed in a comforting twilight. A few people were praying in silence, their gaze fixed on the immense white host. Before joining them, I decided to take a walk around the church, marveling at this quiet place, empty of its usual crowds of tourists. Despite the dim light, my eyes were drawn to a large mosaic depicting Christ with St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Behind them was a rainbow upon which the basilica rests. I noticed a display stand right in front of me, where small booklets outlining the saint’s life were arranged. Without thinking, I grabbed one and opened it to a random page. My eyes immediately saw this phrase:
“I will bring peace to their families.”
Taken aback, I took the booklet with me and sat down near the Blessed Sacrament so I could more easily make out what was written on the page. With trembling hands, I realized that the sentence I had read is the second of twelve promises Christ made to all who would come to receive Communion on the first Friday of every month. I thought to myself, “perhaps this is my last resort. I know from experience that Jesus keeps his promises…but bringing peace to my family? That is what I desire most, yet it seems impossible, unattainable. I have nothing to lose. I will try to go to Mass every first Friday of the month this year.” I remained in prayer for several hours. That night, I felt that something had changed in my heart. I realized that, by God’s grace, I will be—and in fact, I already am—victorious over all my fears and anxieties because God is always with me. “After all, despite everything I have been through, I am still moving forward,” I whispered into the silence.
A photo of the little booklet I found at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Montmartre. I kept it as a memento of that night of adoration.
Little by little, praying to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has become the center of my prayer life. This Heart has become my ultimate refuge. The true “abandoned heart” is that of Christ—a heart that is both entirely surrendered to the divine will and filled with a love so intense that it cannot be contained within itself. An abandoned heart is a heart that gives itself. A heart that listens. The Heart of Jesus is pierced, crushed, crowned with thorns and a cross, and torn apart by the love He feels for us. His Heart is the most excellent source of forgiveness, joy, love, and consolation. All of Christ’s wounds, especially that of his Heart, have been transfigured by the Holy Spirit. Thus they have become sources of life, the soil of rebirth for all. And how much more so for us, the children of divorced parents.
Three years later, my number one prayer is very simple. Every day, I ask Jesus to give me a gentle and humble heart like His. I have gotten into the habit of entrusting my mother to the Immaculate heart of Mary and my father to the chaste heart of St. Joseph. Regardless of how broken my family is, I know that the Holy Family is trustworthy. I have noticed, since then, small improvements in my parents' relationship; they are now able to speak to each other cordially from time to time.
In the Bible, someone had a similar request. King Solomon humbly asked the Lord: “Give your servant, therefore, a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil.” (1 Kings 3:9). So, to ask God for an “abandoned heart” is nothing less than asking Him to give us a heart like that of Christ: a gentle and humble heart that is willing to listen.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, You are the one who knows my heart the best. You are close to the brokenhearted and you save those whose spirit is crushed. I present my heart to you, as broken, tired, sad and weary as it is. Let it be healed by your divine mercy and transfigured by your everlasting light. May my heart be transformed into one that is like that of Christ, humble, meek and always listening to your voice.
About the Author:
Mélanie Niemiec is a French and Polish journalist living in Paris. Passionate about writing, she is the author of the Substack blog “Mélanie's Diaries,” (Les carnets de Mélanie), where she writes about faith in both French and English.
Reflection Questions for Small Groups or Individuals:
Reread the opening paragraph. Have you ever been in an interior place like that?
Have you experienced an abandoned heart? What does that phrase bring into your mind?
How has the Sacred Heart of Jesus impacted your life?
Do you find it comforting to know that Jesus too suffered in his heart?
Reread the first Beatitude. Does the phrase "blessed are the poor of heart" resonate with you?
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