Reflection

On Friday 19 June 2020 the Church celebrates the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  This Feast of the Church has roots that go way back to the early Church and it became a very popular devotion in the 17th Century.  We could discuss the history of the devotion, but I think the question for us today is what does the Sacred Heart mean to us today?

At the end of the Jubilee year of 2000, Saint Pope John Paul II, closed the Holy Doors of St Peters Basilica and said the words: ‘While today we close the Holy Door, a symbol of Christ, the heart of Jesus remains more open than ever’.  In essence, this is what we need to know about the Sacred Heart.  Jesus’ heart is open, he desires all people to come to him, ‘Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened…. For I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls’ (Matt 11:28).  

This is the key: -

1)  The Heart of Jesus is open and desires us and

 2) with Him, close to His heart, we find rest for our souls.

One of the blessings of this strange COVID-19 time has been more time for family, less activities outside of the home, a slower pace, a little more time for rest, reflection, creativity, exercise etc.  I think most people would agree, we live busy and quite fast paced lives.  This time of COVID-19 has taken us to a place of slowing down a little and perhaps freed us a little of some excessive activities, at least for the short term.

The Heart of Jesus was pierced for all of us and from it flowed blood and water (John 19:34).  The Heart of Jesus was opened for all and this heart burns with love for all of us.  Jesus went through His passion, crucifixion and death for all people of all time. This is the depth of His love and His heart continues to love us and desire us. The question for us is, do we want to respond?  The correct response to love is love.  How do we respond in love to Jesus?  How do we respond to the invitation of Jesus to ‘Come to me’?  How do we allow our heart  to be touched by His Heart?

In our faith we believe that God is God and God is love.  God always loves us.  The question is not whether or not God loves us, but how are we responding to this love?  Are we loving in return?  The greatest gift of love we have to give to other people is the gift of ourselves, our time and our presence.  We allow Jesus’ Sacred Heart to touch our hearts when we take time to be still in His presence and allow Him to love us. To simply be present to He who is always present, open our hearts and allow Jesus’ love to penetrate into our hearts.  We ‘come to Him’, we be still in prayer before Him, and here we find rest for our souls, sitting with Jesus close to His Heart.  A freedom comes beyond our recent experience of slowing down in this COVID-19 time.  A freedom and deep peace and love that transforms our heart and lives.

Let us make a decision today to make time to be with Jesus.  To allow His Heart to be with ours and speak to our hearts.  It may be a decision for a couple of minutes of quiet prayer each morning.  It may be a decision to visit the local Church or Chapel to spend a few minutes in silence with Jesus in the tabernacle, it could be a decision to read the Gospel prayerfully for a few minutes and open our hearts to Jesus in the Gospel speaking to us.  All of these things help us to open our hearts to the heart of Jesus.  When we do this, He gives our hearts peace and rest. He sets our hearts on fire, like His, making us want to go and love and serve others.  Sacred Heart of Jesus, set our hearts on fire like Yours, with love for God and neighbour.

Holy Family of Nazareth – Be our inspiration and our guide.

Jesus of Nazareth – Help us to grow in faith, wisdom and knowledge.