The Catholic Calendar for Friday, June 18, 2004

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Scripture from Friday’s Liturgy of the Word:
Ezekiel 34:11-16
Psalm 23:1-6
Romans 5:5-11
Luke 15:3-7

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:

As a young seminarian, I often spent weekends at the summer camp of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. At the end of prayer, the priest presider would say, “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised!” The priests and brothers would respond immediately, “May He always be praised.” How sweet to me now are those memories of devotion to the Sacred Heart by that community whose inspiration was the incredible love of the Sacred Heart. And to these I recall the hundreds of times I would hear my mother singing in the midst of her household duties, that beautiful hymn to the Sacred Heart, “Like a strong and raging fire...”

The joyful inspiration of Jesus’ love is at the very center--rather, is itself the strong magnet which draws the young and aspiring hearts to give themselves totally to the service of this sweet Master!

“Incredible” - “unbelievable” - “foolish” are the adjectives springing from minds too cold and logical to understand this heart-sick God whose role as Shepherd suggests always a solicitous and tender lover, passionate and unlimited in His seeking out the foolish and the lost. He is so unmindful of our condition, brushing aside our sins and betrayals, presuming the best of us. How we blush for shame as He draws us to His Sacred Heart, setting our own hearts on fire with desire for Him. Let us turn to Him with eager hope for his arms enfolding us. Let us beg His forgiveness for our blindness, our coldness, and our indifference as we pray:

O Sacred Heart of Jesus,
I have asked you for many favors,
but I plead for this one.
Take it and place it in your own most Sacred Heart,
and when the Eternal Father sees it,
covered with the mantle of His Most Precious Blood,
He cannot refuse it.
It is not my prayer but Yours! Amen.

- Msgr. Paul E. Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2004 The Way, The Truth, The Life

posted by joachim at 7:44 PM