The encyclical calls the heart “the locus of sincerity, where deceit and disguise have no place.” This has been a real challenge for me. How often do I put on a mask for the world, pretending to be someone I’m not?
“Dilexit Nos” reminds me that the heart reveals the “naked truth about ourselves.” It’s through opening my heart and being vulnerable that I can truly experience love and acceptance. This vulnerability is the key to owning my belovedness—because it’s in revealing my true self that I can be fully known and fully loved.
The Psalmist understood this need for authenticity, praying, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
What is one area of your life where you have been putting on a mask or pretending to be someone you’re not?
Today, practice being your authentic self in a small way, perhaps by sharing a genuine feeling or thought with a trusted friend.
Smitten With Goodness 