The designs of His Heart are from age to age, to rescue their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine–Psalm 33 (32):11, 19 (Entrance antiphon for the Mass of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus)
Today, the Church celebrates a great solemnity, one that assures and reminds us of the great love with which Jesus lived and died for us. His Heart was pierced with a lance for us, pouring out blood and water. This Heart endured so much indifference, so much bitterness and coldness, particularly during the Passion. The blows, the scourges, the mocking, all done by His own creatures! And it didn’t stop after the Resurrection and Ascension. Today, His Heart endures so much indifference and coldness by those who would rather live their lives their own way with no regard for the Love that surpasses every other kind of love. And yet, as the entrance antiphon for today says, the designs of His Heart are to make us happy and keep us safe and on track to arrive at our heavenly home. If only people would heed this longing of Jesus and run to this Heart that loves them so much!
But how to return this love? Unite your heart, your will, all that you have and are, to His Sacred Heart, as St. Margaret Mary Alacoque says. We must, she continues, proceed to love only with His Love, will with only His Will, and undertake to do nothing without His counsel and guidance. This will bring about unspeakable joy in us because in all that we say and do, His Heart will be satisfied and glorified.
Besides uniting ourselves to Him and offering our love to Him, it is important to make reparation to Jesus’s Sacred Heart for our sins and the sins of others. He loves us so much and yet we are so ungrateful and treat Him as if He were a dead object instead of the God Who loves us and wants what is best for us. Acts of reparation, such as penance and fasting, can be used to train ourselves to look toward God and the spiritual things that truly sustain us instead of the physical things that ultimately pass away. We can also make a point to show reverence for the things that others, even Catholics, take for granted, like the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Conduct yourself at Mass the same way that you would if you saw Him sitting there in the pew. Because He is there. He’s disguised as bread and wine, but He’s there. Act like you truly believe that and it will go a long way in making reparation for those who are indifferent.
Run to His Heart. Ask Him to help you unite yourself with It and then carry out your duties and His will for you with determination and love for God and the things that are above. If you truly trust in His Mercy and resolve to be united with Him and obey Him, He will not refuse you.
For the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, click here.
For the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, click here.
For the 12 promises of devotion to the Sacred Heart, given by Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, click here.
Other notes:
- It’s Friday… and a solemnity. So YES, you can eat meat today!
- Today is also the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. There is a rosary relay going on around the world. Please offer your rosary today for priests and bishops. They need it, especially in these days of the sex abuse scandals.
Lumen Fidei Ministries 