Dilexit Nos

Pope Francis recently published his fourth encyclical letter, entitled “Dilexit Nos,” which in English might be rendered “He has loved us” or “He chose us” (cf. Rom. 8:37). As I make my way through it, I am finding it to be a beautiful reflection on the significance of the heart, and how we find ultimate meaning in the love of Christ. You can find the full text on the Vatican’s website, and I highly recommend you read it. In the meantime, I’ll share with you some of the insights that have stood out to me so far. 

The first chapter diagnoses the fragmentation of today’s society and the isolation and atomization that are experienced by so many. In the heart we find both the “coordinating center” of our person, that is “a unity of body and soul,” and also the “mysterious connection between self-knowledge and openness to others, between the encounter with one’s personal uniqueness and the willingness to give oneself to others.” The heart, in other words, is the locus of both of personal integration and relationality. We are warned, too, that “mere appearances, dishonesty and deception harm and pervert the heart” and are therefore contrary to human flourishing. 

The heart is also the place of friendship with the Lord, and indeed we find our truest meaning in life in relation to Him. (I encourage people frequently, especially in confession, to root their identity in being a beloved son or daughter of the Father.) Pope Francis speaks of friendship with Christ and “the sense of mutual belonging typical of friends” that He has with His disciples in the Gospels, and that He offers to us as well. By getting to know Jesus as He interacts with others in Scripture, “we can come to realize how He treats each one of us” as well. 

Our Lord also encourages us when our hearts have been “hurt by lies, injuries and disappointments,” saying “Take heart, son” (Mt. 9:2), or “Take heart, daughter” (Mt. 9:22). This is simultaneously consoling and challenging, as Jesus calls us to grow in the virtue of courage. The word "courage" comes from the two Latin words "cor"+ "agere": to act with and from the heart. 

Finally, Pope Francis encourages us in this encyclical letter to look to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and to foster our devotion through traditional practices of eucharistic adoration and attending Mass on the first Friday of each month. May we all come to know the love of Christ and find healing and strength in His Sacred Heart!