Charism

July 2022

My time at Cor Jesu was formative in countless ways, creating friendships and inspiring career goals. Most importantly, the mission of Cor Jesu made a lasting impression on my spiritual life. When I first heard these two sentences at the end of a prayer at CJ, I had no idea that they would become a daily mantra in my prayer life for years to come:

"Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Your love for me."

Such a simple prayer! Yet this prayer also presents a challenge. In placing my trust in the Sacred Heart, I am asked to let go of my own will and surrender, in trust, to God’s will for my life. In believing in the love of the Sacred Heart, I am asked to believe that Jesus loves me, even in my brokenness and sin.

Four years of repeating this phrase at the end of each prayer at CJ engrained these words into my head, and I’ve continued reciting them at the end of my personal prayers ever since.

In the midst of stressful finals weeks in college … "I place my trust in You."

When it’s difficult to find motivation in my Lenten promises … "I believe in Your love for me."

In discerning my vocation and what God’s will is for my family … "I place my trust in You."

In the hours and minutes before my baby was born … "I believe in Your love for me."

This steady repetition has helped me grow in both trust in and love of Christ. I trust that even though I fall into sin, Christ will always love me. When life doesn’t pan out as I planned, I trust that in His goodness, God has a plan for me. The next time you feel at a loss for words in your prayer life, I invite you to pray with these two simple sentences.
Trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and believe in His love for you!

- Allison Segura Balderrama ‘14