- Enhance Your Relationship with Christ through Journaling with Jesus
- Unveiling St. Veronica – A Holy Hour Journal
Journaling with Jesus has a number of benefits, and in this article, I'll show you how utilizing my latest Holy Hour journal can enhance your spiritual journey. One powerful devotion that has grown in popularity over the last 100 years is the Devotion to the Divine Child Jesus. Through the centuries, apparitions of the young Jesus have been recorded and touched the lives of many and enriched their faith.
My Personal Connection with this Journal
About a year ago, I came across a painting by Émile Munier of the young child Jesus on the cover of Magnificat magazine. I felt a strong connection with the image. It reminded me of the Infant Jesus of Prague. My mother kept a tiny Infant of Prague statue on her nightstand for most of my life. Although she wasn't Catholic and didn't follow any particular denomination, my mother had a great fondness for the little figure wearing his crown and royal vestments. Since her death, I've adopted a similar devotion; that statue now maintains pride of place in my home. In fact, I've even featured the Divine Child on the cover of one of my journals, My Holy Hour – Jesus.
My Family Connection with the Infant of Prague
My mom lived to be 98. Unfortunately, during her last few months, she had bouts of dementia due to a highly resistant and recurring infection. During her last hospital stay, she fell into a three-day delusion. She believed she was back in Germany during the 1950s, on a train and trying to leave the country. She was determined to return to the USA to see her parents but felt I was in the way. We remained in this three-minute loop for several days.
During that time, I experienced a deepening connection with the Infant of Prague. One night when I went home to shower and change, I saw her statue of the Infant of Prague in the bedroom. Without thinking, I picked it up and carried it to the hospital, where I placed it on the hospital bedside table. Throughout the night, she grew calmer.
I noticed the change and found the novena prayer to the Infant of Prague and offered my prayers. The following day, her delusion left the way a black cloud dissipates to allow the sun's warmth to break through. After that, I've always made it a point to thank the Divine Child Jesus whenever I attend mass.
Reflecting on the Divine Child Jesus
During the weeks leading to my mom's death, I experienced a few more moments that further deepened my connection to the Infant of Prague. Eventually, this inspired me to create a journal centered around this gorgeous Catholic artwork. I often gaze at the image before I open the journal and pour out my thoughts and prayers to the Divine Child. This particular journal has become a wonderful companion for my journaling with Jesus.
Encountering the Divine Child
Consider the journal's cover image of the Divine Child as a mini-icon, a window into heaven. Prayerfully concentrate on the image of Christ as an infant or young boy; you may even find yourself meditating on His earthly life. Imagine what it must have been like, his interactions with nature, His relationship with his mother and father, his friends and neighbors. Transport yourself back to those pivotal moments in His life and sit with Him. What was it like when Jesus walked among us?
Imagine what it would be like to be a neighbor of the Blessed Holy Family. What would you have experienced? How would you have felt? Journaling with Jesus can carry you back to those first days when Jesus walked the earth.
My Holy Hour – Jesus
Journaling Prompts
Years ago, I was in Arizona at a retreat where I spent a half hour every morning walking and praying. One morning I began wondering what it must have been like for Jesus, both as an adult and as a child, to walk the earth and experience the natural world through human senses. With my own senses heightened, I noticed the quick flight of birds, the slow dance of a butterfly, and the hidden toad among a pile of leaves. I felt myself awakened to a more profound wonder of creation.
Here are a few journaling prompts to help you explore the Divine Child Jesus during your journaling sessions:
- Imagine yourself accompanying the Wise Men. What did you see, feel, and think? Being part of that event must have been extraordinary.
- Think about the young Jesus leaving his parents and going to the temple. Picture yourself alongside the teachers. How would you receive him? Remember, he was the adopted son of a local carpenter, asking questions and sharing wisdom.
- Mediate on the life of Jesus, the events, and the words surrounding Him. We are told he “advanced in wisdom and age and grace with God and men.” What stands out to you? Why do you think it resonates with you?
The Power of Journaling
Keeping a journal is a great way to engage in spiritual discipline. You simply transfer your thoughts, feelings, and experiences from your mind onto the page. There isn't any right or wrong way to journal. It provides a unique opportunity for you to gain insights into the glory of God. If you haven't considered journaling as a spiritual tool that provides you with a way to draw closer to God, I invite you to download the free guide “How to Use a Prayer Journal during Holy Hour here.
Finally, Journaling with Jesus can truly enrich your relationship with Christ. Through this Devotion to the Divine Child Jesus or other devotions combined with the practice of journaling, you can embark on an exciting spiritual adventure. You'll find your journaling sessions will become a sacred space that allows you begin a conversation with Jesus, to grow in faith, and encounter the Divine in new and beautiful ways.
Image Sources: Jesus by Émile Munier, Wikipedia, Infant de Prague, stock photo
