The Sacred Heart of Jesus

 

Article by Father Jonathan E Moore - LINK HERE

The Heart of Jesus, fount of Love and Mercy.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands as one of the most profound, beloved and time-honoured traditions in Catholic spirituality. The Saviour is depicted, clad in a white garment, symbolic of purity, and a red mantle, symbolic of His suffering. The top edge of the mantle is turned down, revealing a golden lining, symbolic of His Divinity above the mantle, we see His heart—ablaze with love, wounded yet triumphant—inviting us grasp more deeply God’s mercy and immense love. Jesus points to His heart, and words are superfluous – He says to all:

“Behold the depths of my love for YOU.”

 Meditating on on the Sacred Heart, we meet, not just  a symbol, but a pressing invitation to experience and live the very heart of the Gospel.

In all known human history, so it would seem, the heart has been seen as the centre of a person—the seat of feeling, desiring, and intending. There is a beautiful hymn written by Father Francis Stanfield almost 200 years ago now, which begins:

 “Sweet Heart of Jesus, fount of love and mercy.”  

reminding generations of Catholics that the Heart of Jesus is the fountain head, from which flows the immensity of His love, both divine and human. This heart is not a pious myth; it is a human heart, which can suffer, rejoice, and loves without reserve. On Calvary, that heart was pierced for love of us, signifying the total self-gift of Jesus for the salvation of the world.

Please make time in this month of the Sacred Heart, to gaze upon that image -truly iconic — the Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, bleeding from an open wound, surmounted by the cross, — all representing the depth of indifference and savagery to which our fallen race has descended - and yet still ablaze with the inextinguishable love of God.

I often find myself singing the most beautiful hymn written by Charles Wesley :

“And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Saviour’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

That “Amazing Love” never grows cold or indifferent, no matter how far we may stray. The cross, ever-present, points to the ultimate sacrifice, where love and sorrow meet in an act of redeeming mercy.

The love of Jesus is infinite, personal and unconditional. In the Gospels, He reaches out to the sick. vulnerable, the rejected, and  sinners. Remember, Jesus Christ is true God and true man. His heart is a heart open and vulnerable, yet strong and steadfast. We are invited to trust in that love and to find in it the forgiveness and healing we so often seek.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart, however, is not just to be seen as a “spiritual security blanket, but rather a call to repentance and conversion “Come to Me, says Jesus “all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from Me.”

 To honour the Sacred Heart is to allow ourselves to be conformed to His image, desiring a heart like His—gentle, humble, and courageous in loving others. In a world often marked by indifference, division, and woundedness, the Sacred Heart reminds us that the Christian path is one of compassion.

The monthly First Friday devotion and the act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart encourage us to make reparation for sin—our own and that of the world—and to become channels of Christ’s love in our families, workplaces, and communities.

 The Heart of Jesus teaches us to forgive, to be patient and to reach out to those most in need of kindness. In this way, our lives become a living reflection of His love.

Life’s journey is not without hardship. The image of the Sacred Heart, wounded yet radiant, assures us that Christ knows our pain and walks with us in our sufferings. His heart beats in solidarity with ours, offering consolation and hope. In moments of trial, we can turn to the Sacred Heart, confident that our prayers are heard and our pain is shared. We are called to allow His love to transform us within, making our hearts more like His.

May the loving Lord Jesus set our hearts on fire with the same love that blazes within His, so that we too may bear witness to the hope, mercy and compassion that flow from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.