TODAY IS THE SOLEMNITY OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS - possibly the most "Evangelical" of Catholic devotions, as we give thanks for the Saviour who loves us so much that he died and shed His Blood for us upon the Cross.
John 19:34, 37 One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water…… The scripture was fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, whose Heart was pierced by the spear of our sinfulness, and hath been by thy love left open for all who will enter: Thither bring us for refuge and rest in the hour of trouble; and there, O Lord, hold us for ever; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. (Eric Milner-White)
“Grant me, Lord,
A simple heart,
Which never harbours sorrows;
A heart glorious in self-giving,
Tender in compassion;
A heart faithful and generous
Which will never forget any good
Or bear a grudge for any evil.
Make me a heart gentle and humble
Loving without asking any return,
Large-hearted and undauntable,
Which no ingratitude can sour
And no indifference can weary;
A heart penetrated by the love of Jesus
Whose desire will only be
Satisfied in the things of heaven.
Grant me, Lord,
The mind and Heart of your Son.”
George Appleton
Christ lets you see his Heart
through the door of his open side.
There lies the source of everything.
You receive from Jesus
primarily the gift of the Spirit,
symbolized by water (John 7: 37-39),
and the gift of the Eucharist,
symbolized by blood (John 6: 54-56).
Jesus displays his Heart
to tell us how much He loves you,
as you are here and now,
with an unconditional love.
He does not know how to love
70 to 80 percent –He only knows
how to love 100 percent.
One of the soldiers, we hear, pierced the side of Jesus with his lance, penetrating to his Heart Out of his pierced side flowed blood and water.
There is a tradition in the Church
of thinking of this outpouring,
from the Heart of Christ, as a fountain of sacramental life.
We can ask, also, his mother Mary,
one of the very few who remained close to the Cross when most of the others fled, to share with us what was in her heart at this moment, the sword that pieced her heart.
Desire – may I come to know Jesus better, love more intensely and follow Him more closely;feel the world's sorrow and anguish with Him.
HEART TO HEART - Jean Galot, SJ.
Speak to me, Lord,
and say to me the words
which only love pronounces.
Speak to me
in your ineffable language,
which only the heart can hear.
Speak to me of yourself,
to share with me your divine intimacy.
Speak to me of your plans,
of your preoccupations,
of your great intentions
for the salvation of all.
Speak to me of your desires,
of the collaboration
which you await from me.
Speak to me of what rejoices you,
of what afflicts you in the world
and in myself.
Speak to me of your goodness,
the kindnesses that you wish
to spread in abundance among us.
Speak to me of the miracles of your grace, the marvels that you work in secret, invisibly.
Speak to me of the holiness into which you want to transform all the universe and my own being.
Speak to me, from your Heart to my heart,and make your word penetrate
to the depth of my soul, into my intellect, into my will, into my heart.
"I will take you from the nations,
and gather you from all the countries.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you,
and purify you from all defilement.
A new heart I will give you,
and put a new spirit within you,
and I will remove from your body
the heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
Ezekiel 36:24-28
O Lord, take away my heart of stone, my hardened heart,
and grant to me a new heart,
a heart of flesh, a clean heart.
Come you, who cleanse the heart,
and love the pure of heart,
possess my heart and dwell in it,
containing it and filling it,
higher than my highest,
and more intimate
than my intimate thoughts.
You are the image of all beauty
and the seal of all holiness,
seal your image on my heart,
and seal my heart in your mercy,
O God the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Baldwin of Canterbury d. 1190
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son and recall the wonders of his love for us, may be made worthy to receive an overflowing measure of grace from that fount of heavenly gifts. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
