Friday June 7, 2024

“You were chosen by God to be loved and to love others on His behalf.”

Good News Reflection for:

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
June 7, 2024

Today’s Prayer:

Forgive me, Lord, for not paying attention to that brother or sister You placed in my path for guidance from You. Teach me how to be aware of those souls who are thirsty for Your love. Amen.

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Today’s Readings:

Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8-9
Isaiah 12:2-6
Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19
John 19:31-37
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060724.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-june-7-2024

The sacred, thumping heart of Jesus

One day many years ago (in 1988), soon after I began to participate in the daily celebration of Holy Mass, it occurred to me that the Lord was hoping that I would stay for a while after Mass to pray in front of his holy presence in the Tabernacle. I said, “Okay”.

At first I felt embarrassed that others would notice me kneeling there. But then the presence of Jesus became strong, not only in the Sacred Host that was hidden behind the closed Tabernacle door, but in Spirit in front of the Tabernacle. Mind you, I am no visionary, but what I experienced can best be described as a keen awareness that Jesus wanted to show me his Sacred Heart. I “saw” him open the robe that covered his chest (it reminded me of Superman peeling off his shirt). I expected to see an image of the Sacred Heart similar to what artists have painted for holy cards.

That’s not what I saw. It was a live, beating, pumping, thumping heart. A human heart “on fire” with the glow of pure light — a “fire” of tremendous love, an often-suffering but powerful love.

How sacred his love truly is for you and for me and for everyone! It’s without flaw or sin. It’s complete and all-consuming. It suffers for us when we sin. It suffers with us when we are hurt by the sins of others. And it’s as real as your own beating heart.

Jesus did not lose his human body when he ascended to heaven. The heart in his glorified body did not stop existing. The reason why the Church gives us this special feast day to commemorate the Sacred Heart of Jesus — and the reason why Jesus shows his heart to us — is because it symbolizes his love, pierced for us on the cross but forever alive, real, and unconditionally caring.

Problems and unanswered prayers cause us to doubt the liveliness of Christ’s love. The inability to feel his love pumping through us seems to prove that it’s not always here. Our unworthiness seems to prove that he should not make it available to us.

However, these doubts dissolve away when we give to others the love that we seek from the Lord, for it’s in giving that we receive, it’s in doing that we understand, and it’s in taking action that we become aware of what is real. By giving his sacred love to the people around us, our hearts beat in unison with his Sacred Heart. Then we understand what we hear in today’s first reading: “The Lord has set his heart on you and chose you!”

You were chosen by God to be loved and to love others on his behalf. Remember this: The same doubt that you’ve felt is also what others are experiencing. Who in your life needs proof that God loves them? Who’s in a bad mood? Who needs a kind, calming, caring word of encouragement and hope? Because you have within you the Sacred Heart of Jesus, you are the proof they need that God’s love is real. Give it to them and you will find the proof that cures your own doubts!

A Sacred Heart Prayer For All People
by Kathy Taylor, GNM Office Assistant

Loving Jesus, Your Sacred Heart is open to all mankind and full of love for each one of us.

We who love You have experienced Your love in our lives, but we have family and friends who have never fully come to love You, or turned away from Your love.

In Your mercy, Jesus, let them feel the touch of Your gentle love and gather them back to You.

Lord, Your Sacred Heart is filled with love for all who have not heard of You; help us to teach them of You and bring them to love You.

The compassion of Your Sacred Heart does not judge anyone, but calls us to witness Your loving truth to those who scorn or fear You.

Through Your precious Sacred Heart, bring all people to come to love You and live in peace and true freedom to give You all praise, honor and glory. Amen.

To reflect further on this, use our Faith Booster: “You are important to the Body of Christ” @ https://wordbytes.org/faith-booster-minis/important-body-christ/.

© 2024 by Terry A. Modica

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