The rule of St. Benedict for daily life, learning to listen to God with a discerning heart, I'm
The herald of divine love, friendship with the Lord, Episode 37.
We now turn to St. Gertrude the Great, a Benedictine nun whose love for Christ is at once
tender, reverent, and deeply grounded in the life of prayer.
She entered the monastery school at Heftka when she was very young and remained there for
the rest of her life, but Heftka was more than the setting of her story.
It was itself a beautiful example of Benedictine fruitfulness.
This was a community shaped by the Holy Rule, the divine office, sacred study, and a serious
And the fruit of that life can be seen not only in Gertrude, but in the remarkable women
Heftka became a place where love for Christ, the logical depth and liturgical life, came
together with unusual richness.
It formed women whose writings and witness would nourish the church far beyond their own
That matters because Gertrude didn't grow in isolation.
Her trust in God was formed in a living community of prayer, learning, and fidelity.
She was shaped by a monastery where faith was educated, attention was trained, and love
for Christ was given language.
When we hear her speaking of intimacy with the Lord, we are hearing the fruit of a soul
formed in a truly fruitful Benedictine house.
In the writings of St. Gertrude the Great, O Jesus, you who are immensely dear to me,
be with me always, so that my heart may stay with you, and that your love may endure
with me with no possibility of division.
St. Gertrude doesn't speak about Christ as a distant figure to be admired from far away.
She writes that someone who has come to know his nearness, his tenderness, and his faithfulness.
There is warmth in her words because there is relationship in her life.
That kind of closeness doesn't appear all at once.
It's formed in the daily school of prayer.
St. Gertrude's life at Hellfka was shaped by the divine office, by scripture, by the
feasts of the church, and by the steady rhythm of monastic life.
In that setting, her heart was being taught how to love.
The rule didn't stand in the way of intimacy with Christ.
It helped make room for it.
That matters because St. Gertrude helps us see that closeness to Christ is not built on
spiritual excitement.
It grows in a life of prayer, fidelity, and return.
Love deepens because the heart keeps turning back to him.
Prayer says so much about simplicity.
Her prayer says so much with such simplicity.
It's the prayer of someone who loves and knows her need.
And then, so that my heart may stay with you.
She knows how easily the heart wanders.
She knows how quickly it becomes divided.
She is asking Christ to keep her close because she knows she can't hold that closeness by herself.
This is where the relationship becomes so beautiful.
St. Gertrude knows that Christ isn't indifferent to the soul.
He isn't waiting coldly at a distance.
He desires communion.
He draws near first.
He teaches the heart how to answer him.
That is why her words feel so alive.
She is not speaking about an idea.
She is speaking to someone.
That also helps us understand trust.
Trust isn't a technique.
It grows where love has already begun.
The more the soul knows Christ's tenderness, the less it fears him.
His remains, but fear begins to give way to confidence.
The heart becomes more willing to stay near the one it has come to love.
And this reaches into daily life.
The heart gets scattered.
Doodies, anxieties, disappointments and distractions, fill it in many directions.
St. Gertrude knows that.
Her prayer is so simple because the need is so real.
Lord, keep my heart with you.
That is the prayer of a person who knows that peace isn't found in controlling everything,
but in remaining near Christ.
So before we speak of trust more directly, St. Gertrude teaches us something essential.
Friendship with Christ isn't fantasy.
It is the true life of the soul.
And that friendship is formed by grace, by prayer, and by a heart that keeps returning
O Jesus, you who are immensely dear to me, be with me always, so that my heart may stay
with you, and that your love may endure with me, with no possibility of division.
Before listening to Scripture, allow your body to settle.
Sit quietly and let your breathing become natural.
Before thoughts or feelings, simply ask the Lord to keep your heart near Him.
We now turn to the letter of St. Paul to the Galatians, chapter 2, verse 20.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
Lord Jesus Christ, you are immensely dear to the soul that knows you.
Remain with us, and keep our hearts near you.
Gather what has been scattered in us, and teach us the quiet faithfulness of those who
remain in your love.
To hear more of these reflections, visit desertingharts.com, or you can find them in the free deserting
Arts app, or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.
