The Catholic Calendar for Friday, June 23, 2006
The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:

Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8-9
Isaiah 12:2-6
Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19
John 19:31-37

A reflection on today's Scripture....

“Know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:19)

Today's readings review our heavenly Father's plan for the salvation of His fallen, yet deeply beloved children. He created us to share in His glory by learning to live in His love and truth. The prophet Hosea speaks of the One Who would be His people's healer, though they would not recognize Him. Isaiah tells us that from our Savior we would draw from the springs of salvation. St. Paul prays that the Ephesians, through faith, would be imbued with God's life to see that Christ's love for us, in its depth, strength and unconditional steadfastness surpasses all knowledge.

Upon reflection, we see that these preliminary readings achieve fruition when the dead Christ's side is pierced by a soldier's lance. This final violence punctured His heart, creating a visible sign that God's love is still being poured out upon us, despite our great sin. Jesus is the channel through Whom we can receive God's genuine, self-giving love. The water may be thought to signify the cleansing action of Baptism, and His life's blood as the spiritual nourishment we receive in the Eucharist. Together these may be related to the "spring . . . welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14) that suggests the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit transforming us in the image of Christ.

Humanity becomes fully human only when imprinted anew with the image of our all holy God in which we were originally created. Our task is to cooperate with our Lord by being emptied of self and receiving within us the outpouring of His new life. And, filled to capacity, we must then allow the overflow of His love from us to draw others into His kingdom.

O Blessed Redeemer, help us see that apart from you we are but empty shells lying in the sand, devoid of life. Give us new life as we drink deeply from Your eternal spring. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)