Word to the Wise
Friday, June 8, 2018 - Sacred Heart - B
[Hos 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9; Eph 3:8-12, 14-19; John 19:31-37]FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2018 SACRED HEART OF JESUS [Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8-9; Ephesians 3, 8-12, 14-19; John 19:31-37] ......I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all tahe holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. [Ephesians] Any study of the history of Catholic spirituality must include the incredibly popular and powerful devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Although the devotion existed in the middle ages, it became universal in the 17th century and has continued to this day. Examples of its influence may be seen in any Catholic home that displays the "enthronement" picture. For me, as a Catholic grade school student, it meant Mass on First Friday. First Friday devotions are still popular because of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque's visions of Jesus and his heart in the 17th century. The influence of the "movement" shows up in the hundreds of religious orders with "Sacred Heart" in their titles and in the statues in older Catholic churches. There are also the Litany of the Sacred Heart and a novena to the Sacred Heart. If one thinks about the way in which we speak figuratively of the heart and love, it is not hard to understand why this devotion is so popular. It is not a matter of a physical organ but a relationship of love between the person and Christ. So much theology appears abstract and inaccessible to ordinary believers. Devotion to the Sacred Heart allows for the need we all have for God's love and our desire to love God more. St. Margaret Mary Alacocque had to endure considerable skepticism about her visions, but she persevered in her beliefs and started something that is still influencing the piety and devotion of millions of Catholics. This feast day is not only a reminder of God's love but an opportunity to reflect on how one person's devotion has become the devotion of millions. AMEN