O Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
For this feast we remember the infinite love of Our Lord for all of humanity. The Gospel of the day (St John 19:31-37) recalls the final event on the Cross when Jesus' heart was pierced by the spear of a centurion. The mingling of water and blood which gushed forth alludes to the reality of the sacraments in the life of the Church, and the gateway to heaven which has thus been opened.
Above all, Your Heart was wounded so that a visible scar would enable us to see the invisible wound of Your love. For how could the ardour of Your love be better shown than by this, that not only Your body but even Your very Heart was pierced with a lance?
- St Bonaventure
A devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is twofold; it involves a consecration of Our whole lives to Jesus as loving Redeemer of Humanity, and thus be penitent and ready to have our lives changed by Him. Secondly it involves a readiness to make reparation for the indifference and ingratitude which is now shown by humanity towards Our Lord.
There are many specific devotions which help us towards this end, like the First Fridays devotions. Our family particularly enjoy saying our private prayers before the Sacred Heart Altar after we receive communion (above) and will undoubtedly enthrone the Sacred Heart image in our home formally before long.
There are many specific devotions which help us towards this end, like the First Fridays devotions. Our family particularly enjoy saying our private prayers before the Sacred Heart Altar after we receive communion (above) and will undoubtedly enthrone the Sacred Heart image in our home formally before long.
Matt,
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog by accident. I am interested in your phrase 'make reparation' for ingratitude. How would you defend the validity of this view? Can you do this biblically, or do you use some other means?
I am not trying to be confrontational. I am just trying to understand how Catholic thinking works!
Stephen, I am very glad you stumbled across my blog. I see you live and minister quite locally to myself! Thank you for your question. I would like to answer it well and want to dedicate a post specifically to the issue of 'reparation for sins against the sacred heart of Jesus' and how it ties in with Our Lord's sacrifice and humanity's redemption. I hope you will be patient because I'm a little busy with validating my first year of being a doctor - lots of paperwork and meetings I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteFine. I understand the pressures on doctors, having known a few in my time. I don't envy you at all!
ReplyDelete