Word to the Wise
Friday, June 11, 2010 - Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
[Ezekiel 34:11-16; Romans 5:5b-11; Luke 15:3-7]The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the best known and most popular in Catholic piety. The origins of the feast are found most prominently in a movement in the 17th century in France toward a spirituality and piety that would be more affective and appeal to the ordinary person. The popular response to reported visions of St. Margaret Mary Alocoque spread to other countries and culminated in the 19th century with the establishment of the feast of the Sacred Heart. My generation (and older) would remember the devotion of "first Friday" and "first Saturday" that arose from this movement. It was a standard feature of a "Catholic home" to have a an image of the Sacred Heart, and even participate in the "enthronement" of the Sacred Heart in the home. We Westerners speak of the heart as the center of emotions and compassion in the human person. The Bible (especially the Old Testament) had a somewhat different anatomical view, placing these elements in the kidneys! I think we can be grateful for the change in perspective! The scriptural appeal in the readings for this feast emphasizes the shepherd image in which the shepherd does everything possible to seek out a lost member of the flock. St. Paul's emphasis, as quoted above, is on the action of the Holy Spirit in moving us to appreciate what Christ has done for us. The old song, "You gotta have heart!" and the expression, "Have a heart!" and our celebration of Valentine's day can superficially capture some of the ways in which we use "heart" to signify an emotional and compassionate response. The feast of the Sacred Heart calls our attention to the love that Christ has for us and invites us to reciprocate that love. AMEN
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