(Spoken at our Way of the Rose Meeting in Woodstock on the First Day of the Novena)
“You may have heard the expression ‘Treasure of the Heart,’ but few understand the meaning of those words. Your heart’s treasure is simply your heart’s desire.
“You should ask for your heart’s desire when you pray the rosary—and especially when you pray the novena. But the fulfillment of that desire and the desire itself are two vastly different things.
“If you pour water or wine into a glass, you can drink it and feel some satisfaction—but the wine or the water is soon gone. Because you hold a vessel, however, these can be replenished. There is no limit to what I can pour into your glass.
“That vessel has sometimes been called ‘the Grail,’ but people are confused about the nature of that Grail. They strive for it. They seek it. And yet, they are usually disappointed when they find it, because its contents are soon gone.
“You must know that the Grail itself is the treasure, and not what it contains. The heart is a vessel that is always being emptied, and always being filled. Therefore, carry your novena petition like something precious and pray for your heart’s desire. But know that the desires of the heart are the treasure of the heart. And this you already have.”