Some people have a sweet tooth, but I have a hot tooth (and, I admit,a sweet tooth as well!) I love hot and spicy food, the hotter the better, and I want to believe the theory that it's good for the metabolism, burning lots of calories. So to cater to my cravings for hot and spicy, I grow lots of hot peppers in my garden, and this time of year you will often find me busy in the kitchen cutting up the peppers, tomatoes and other vegies for a spicy salsa. My husband, the cautious chef, always shakes his head as he walks past, "Should be wearing gloves," he reminds me.
But I don't worry about that precautionary measure. I have thick skin and those hot peppers don't burn my fingers at all. It's not until an hour or so later that I realize why he reminds me about the gloves, as I inevitably rub my eyes and the sting of tears from the heat that remained on my fingers begins to burn my eyes. My skin may be thick, but my eyeballs are not!
Dearest Sacred Heart of Jesus, inflamed with burning love for me and all of your children, carry the sacrifice of my hot tears to my heart so that it will also burn, just like yours, with love for all the world. Amen.
