Each time that we gather around the Lord’s table for mass as a community of faith, we celebrate the love that God has for us in a special way. Today’s solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus always falls 19 days after Pentecost, which is always on a Friday. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the most beloved religious devotions in our Church, as it sees Jesus’ physical heart as a symbol of the love that he has for all of humanity. Many saints have contributed to our understanding of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, especially St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, whose visions of Jesus in the 17th century conveyed this message: “Look at this Heart which has loved men so much, and yet men do not want to love Me in return. Through you My Divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth.”
Our 2nd reading from the 1st letter of John talks about love, the central message of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. If we just concentrate on rules, commandments, & laws in the practice of our faith, forgetting about love, then we really miss the whole point of Jesus’ teachings & ministry. We hear the word “love” many, many times in this reading, telling us that love is directly from God, that love connects us to the divine in our live, that love brings us closer not only to God but to our brothers & sisters here on earth, & that love is a sign of God’s relationship to us, of the unfailing commitment He has for his people.
We will close the homily today with this prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus:
| Merciful Jesus, | |
| I consecrate myself today and always,
To your Most Sacred Heart.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
I implore that I may ever love You
more and more.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
I trust in You! Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Have mercy on us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus
I believe in Your love for me,
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like Your Heart. Amen | |
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