The Bridegroom Speaks

Jesus and Mary wait for you in Cana. Bring them the water of your tears and experience the healing love of Jesus as He transforms the water of your tears into the wine of divine joy.

When we pray, the Lord listens and responds. As I have been praying the Hope's Garden, "Womb of My Heart Rosary", I have been meditating on the power of prayer and what it is that I am asking of God when I pray. What does it truly mean to ask for a heart that is like Mary's womb? In this excerpt from a Hope's Garden gathering, I share my reflection on these questions and more.

Most Sacred and Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us and make our hearts like unto Yours.

In this excerpt from a session of the Hope's Garden Brides of Christ study of the Song of Songs, Laura reads the conclusion of the Song and highlights how drawing close to Christ the Bridegroom transform and makes us new. She ends by describing the Bridegroom's love for each and everyone of us as universal and yet oh so very personal.

Our Lady is the Bride of the Song of Songs and our model of holiness. Will you be a blank canvas upon which God can write a unique icon of Mary?

Laura continues to reflect on the sermons of St. John of Forde. In this episode, she reads verses 5:10-16 of the Song of Songs and talks about the beauty and sweetness of Christ the Bridegroom.

Laura continues her reflections on the Bride's praise of her Beloved's beauty in verses 5:10-16 of The Song of Songs and excerpts of John of Forde's sermons on these verses. In this episode, she reflects on the sweetness of the Word of God and of prayer.

"This font of love, (the Holy Trinity), is the primary channel of living water, a font of life to all who drink from it. All holy love draws its joy from this font; and in order that it may perpetually flow towards eternal life, from which it must also spring, it wells up forever with desire towards its font, rushing tirelessly back to its origin." (John of Forde)

What can the Song of Songs teach us about childhood trauma and how Jesus the Bridegroom desires to heal those wounds? In this episode, Laura unpacks verse 3:4, "Scarcely had I passed them than I found him whom my heart loves. I held him fast, nor would I let him go till I had brought him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me." She explains how to take the Bridegroom into your aching heart and allow Him to heal the wounds of your childhood so you can live in the present freely, faithfully, and fruitfully.

In this excerpt from the Hope's Garden heart-led study of the Song of Songs, Laura introduces us to Gilbert of Hoyland with a reflection on the verse, "I found the one whom my soul loves."