Look at the Heart of Jesus. It is open at the top to show that He is always facing His Eternal Father, always ready to carry out His Will and ready to even sacrifice His own life. Your heart too must be open to things above and closed to things below; that is, closed to all things on earth, and open only to those in heaven (…).
The Heart of Jesus is encircled by thorns, just as your own must also be. (.....) Those who love to do their own will, who take the easy way, who in this life desire to be crowned with roses shall not go to heaven. If you want to go there and enjoy a day with Christ, you must, at His invitation, take up your cross, deny yourself and follow Him.
There is a cross above the Heart of Jesus, that same cross He loved so much that for a good thirty years He wished to carry it hidden in His heart, even before He was nailed upon it. The true bride of Jesus also carries her own cross, but in her heart, not in her hand, nor on her head; that is to say, she does not flaunt it, nor does she let everyone see her suffering; she hides it in her heart because she loves it, because she holds it dear, and fears that someone will steal it from her. Now I ask you: Do you love the cross? Do you like the cross? If you do, you will remain cheerful even when you are treated badly, humiliated, wrongly accused, when, exhausted by your work, you can no longer stand it, when through no fault of your own, things turn out badly for you, when everything goes contrary to your wishes. If on these occasions you do not rejoice, it is a sign that you do not love the cross, that you have not planted it in your heart, that you do not want to be crucified with Jesus.
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