We celebrate the love of our Savior for each of us when we honor His Sacred Heart
Reflections on the readings for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 28, 2019): EZ 34:11-16; PS 23:1-3,4,5,6; ROM 5:5-11; LK 15:3-7
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days
We honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus today, as we recognize the love that His heart holds for His children – those of us who strive to be close to Him and even those who turn away from Him.
Christ never gives up on us as long as we live because He wants to claim us for Himself for all eternity. Jesus was crucified to make our redemption possible. And the immensity of our Lord’s love for us is revealed in this magnificent symbol of His Heart. “The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.… God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.… We also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:5, 8-11).
In the 1700s, a French Visitation nun had a series of visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. These eventually influenced the establishment of this feast as well as the pious devotion of the Nine First Fridays. We too can say the prayer of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque: “O Heart of love, I place all my trust in you. I fear all things from my own weakness, but I hope for all things from your goodness.” And let us thank our Lord for the love He continues to pour into our hearts.
Suggested missionary action: We can make a daily morning offering to the Sacred Heart and ask Jesus to open our hearts to His loving mercy so that we can share it with all we meet.