Lutgarde (1182 – 1246) was born in Tongres, Belgium, and entered the Benedictine convent at Saint Trond aged twelve. During this period a potential suitor visited her and during one of these visits Jesus appeared to her revealing his spear wound and telling her: ‘Seek no more pleasure of this affection… here in this wound I promise you the most pure of joys.’ Lutgarde denounced her suitor saying: ‘Go away from me for I belong to another Lover.’ (3)

Afterwards Lutgarde was blessed with a number of graces including levitation, healing, a miraculous understanding of Latin and illumination about the meaning of the Psalms but none of these made her happy. 

This led to her exchange of hearts with Jesus:

‘Jesus asked her: “What… do you want?”

“Lord… I want Thy Heart.”

“You want My Heart? Well, I too want your heart.” 

“Take it, dear Lord. But take it in such a way that the love of Your Heart may be so mingled and united with my own heart that I may possess my heart in Thee, and that it may always remain there secure in Your protection.”’ (4)

Lutgarde was elected as superior of the convent at the age of twenty-three but left to join the Cistercian convent (known as Trappists) at Aywieres.

Although I haven’t directly exchanged hearts with Gwyn attaining a union of my breath with His breath and my heart with His has long been a part of my practice.

REFERENCES

(3) St Lutgarde of Aywieres, Mystics of the Church, https://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/2015/09/st-lutgarde-of-aywieres-first-known.html
(4) Ibid.