The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart is not simply about honoring a pious image or recalling an abstract concept of divine love. It is about encountering the personal, sacrificial love of Jesus—a love that searches, suffers, and saves. His Sacred Heart beats with mercy for sinners, compassion for the suffering, and longing for those who have strayed.
When we contemplate the Sacred Heart, we remember that we are not loved vaguely or from a distance. Christ’s love is tender, personal for each one of us, and unrelenting. He is the man in the Gospel who has left the ninety-nine in order to seek after the lost.
The Lord gave everything, allowing himself to be treated as the lowliest slave, enduring torture and the death of a criminal, to bring about the highest good of each of us, our salvation. His love embraces unfathomable suffering and the darkness of death so that you and I may be redeemed.
The heart of Jesus also desires to transform us into our highest selves in which we, too, radiate with his love. We, like him, are to have a heart for the lost, to forgive the undeserving, to carry the broken, to love even when it costs us. The Sacred Heart is our model as well as our refuge. We must allow the love of the Sacred Heart to penetrate our lives more deeply, so that we can become vessels of that love to a wounded world in need of healing.
Today, may we renew our trust in the love of Jesus and strive to reflect that love in our own lives, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
- - - -
We bring our needs to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Please respond to each of these petitions, “Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on us”
That the Church may be continually cleansed and sanctified by the blood and water that gave us new birth.
For all who have fallen away from the Church, for those who lack faith, and in reparation for all ingratitude toward God, for all sin and all blasphemy.
For all those who are sick or burdened in any way, may they come to know and experience the refreshment of Christ’s love.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
Grant, Good Jesus, that we may live in you and for you. Protect us in the midst of danger. Comfort us in our afflictions. Give us health of body, assistance in our temporal needs, your blessing on all that we do, and the grace of a holy death. Through Christ Our Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment