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The Sacred Heart

Pastor’s Column

11^th Sunday Ordinary Time

June 17, 2012

This past Friday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Devotion to the Sacred Heart is all about love—my love for Christ, of course—but more importantly, Christ’s love for me. When we look at a picture of the Sacred Heart, we notice that this heart has a wounded side where Christ’s heart was pierced (John 19:34). When we feel perhaps God does not love us, we can look through this image to the gospel, which shows the broken heart Christ died from out of love for you.

I suspect that most of us at some time in our lives have had our hearts broken. We cannot really love someone with taking a risk—the risk of being rejected or hurt! But the reward of risk is to be really loved! Or perhaps we have loved and have had that love betrayed or rejected. We have been hurt. Sometimes we may even feel that God has rejected us or hurt us in some way. But when we see an image of the Sacred Heart, we remember how much Christ loved us. After all, what more could he do for us than to have his human heart literally torn open by the ingratitude of the very people he had come to save?

From you and me, then, Jesus wants us to show him gratitude. How many times did I thank Jesus for his love today? If I have been given a cross, can I thank him that he is sharing this pain with me? The Sacred Heart tells me that no matter what pain I am in, Christ really does understand.

So many in the world are ungrateful to God. They seldom thank God for the gift of their lives or the gifts they have received, let alone their crosses (blessings in disguise). We who wish to be his friends, at least ought to take some time each day to express our gratitude for his undying love.

On the back of this sheet we have reprinted the Litany of the Sacred Heart, which you may wish to use for your prayers. As Christ said to Saint Margaret Mary, “I will bless every home where my image is displayed and honored.” Do you have an image of the Sacred Heart in your home in a prominent place? Then expect to be blessed! Within us, too, there can be a kind of shrine where the Sacred Heart is venerated and honored. This litany is one way to do that.

Father Gary

The litany of the sacred heart of Jesus is a moving way to express devotion to Our Lord by making reparation through adoration for the offenses committed against His Sacred Heart. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, a 17th century nun, made devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus best known after He revealed His desire to her in visions that we all acknowledge His tremendous love for us.

The symbolic image of Christ’s heart burning with love for us, even while pierced with the thorns of our indifference and ingratitude, as in the painting above, is also associated with this devotion.

Faithful Catholics around the world show Jesus their love in prayers such as the Litany of the Sacred Heart. Many also visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament in this devotion and receive Communion at Mass on the First Friday of each month in a spirit of reparation for the hostility and indifference he suffers from unrepentant sinners.

The Litany of the Sacred Heart is one of six litanies approved for public use by the Church and is often prayed during First Friday services. When prayed publicly, the congregation’s lines are in italics.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. (repeat after each line) God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,
Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father,
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in
the Virgin Mother's womb,
Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the
Word of God,
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty,
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God,
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High,
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven,
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity,
Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love,
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues,
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise,
Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts,
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge,
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead,
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased,
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received,
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills,
Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy,
Heart of Jesus, rich to all who call upon You,
Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness,
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our offenses,
Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with reproaches,
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our iniquities,
Heart of Jesus, obedient even unto death,
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance,
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection,
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation,
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins,
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in You,
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You,
Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints,
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Jesus, meek and humble of Heart,
Make our hearts like unto Thine.

Let us pray.
Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers Thee in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen