Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus(Click here for readings)
At that time Jesus exclaimed: "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."
Showing Off His Heart. Since Jesus is both God and man, then there are two things that must always be found together in the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: His Heart of flesh and His love for us - both of which are found in streets of Nazareth, on the Cross, in the Blessed Sacrament, in His teaching and healing, and in His praying and working.
When we speak of the Sacred Heart, we mean Jesus showing off His heart.
What will you offer to me? As Christ holds His heart in one hand, He extends the other as if to say, "I give my heart to you. Now what will you give to me? My heart has become like a burning bush that will never be consumed."
Love is never threatened or consumed by giving or sacrifice; It is only renewed and purified by it. Hence, surrounding the Lord's heart are the thorns that pierced His human flesh but never His holy Will. These, along with the Roman's lance, may have scared the Lord's sacred body, but never damaged His sacred Heart, for suffering and sacrifice are the fires that forge human hearts into the heart of God.
I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
What's in your heart? Are they the same things that are in your wallet? What's in your wallet?
We need to be careful not to store earthly treasures in heavenly vessels. Credit cards, money, identity cards do not belong in our hearts. They belong in our wallets. What belongs to the heart are heavenly things: God's Will, God's Commandments, God's identity card: "They will know you belong to me by the way you love one another."
Forgiveness comes easy to all of us when we are left with no alternatives. Likewise, service to the Church comes easy when we are advanced in age; that is, when family and friends have rejected us (or died) and there is nothing else to do.
We must learn to serve at an early age and to forgive and serve others when our options are wide open. Only in this way, will our hearts be filled with the same (and right) stuff that keeps the Lord's heart burning with passion for sinners.
Define "old."
ReplyDeleteFather Alfonse, you often speak about how God likes to surprise us. Well, yesterday on the feast of the Sacred Heart, I saw Jesus in the person of an elderly priest who volunteers at the airport chapel in Charlotte, NC. Coincidentally, someone told me recently that North Carolina is the least Catholic state. I don't know if this is true, but it struck me as interesting. Then, I met the retired priest, walking with a cane, who is in the chapel, offering mass and visiting with travelers every week day. He could be enjoying his retirement anywhere and is instead ministering to people daily in situations that are probably sometimes quite stressful. He also walks around, greeting people and offering a smile. I can easily imagine that in that environment, he does not always get a warm reception - just like our Lord experienced mixed reactions when he walked the earth. Such courage and generosity demonstrated by this priest! Such a symbol of the loving heart of Jesus!
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