In its essence, the devotion takes the general idea of the heart as seat of emotions in general, and of love in particular, and applies it rather straightforwardly to Jesus. Thus the heart of Jesus is seen as the apt symbol of his love for his fellow humans. But since in Christian belief Jesus is God as well as man, his love is not merely a human love but God's love. So the Sacred Heart of Jesus means God's love — the love spoken of in 1 John 4:16 (God is love…) and John 3:16 (God so loved the world…).
That this is a saving love is underscored by the passage, read at Mass today, which tells of Jesus' crucifixion and a soldier thrusting his lance into Jesus' side and blood and water flowing out. (John 19:31-37) Thus the love represented by his heart is the love by which he gave himself up to death for our redemption.
From time to time, there are people who say that Jesus did not die for all, that there are some people who are inevitably damned, people whom God does not want to save. This can be an abstract theory. It can also take another form in the words of self-styled Christians who proclaim that "God hates homosexuals." The message of the Sacred Heart is that God loves all people, that his salvation is available to all. (1 Timothy 2:4) It encourages all of us not to despair. No matter what we have done, God's love is there, and we can accept it. God does not hate us. Let's not hate him. And we realize that those who say God hates homosexuals have not understood the meaning of Jesus.
Today, the third Friday after Pentecost, is the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates the Sacred Heart. At Mass this morning the priest recalled the Morning Offering prayer which he learned as a boy and recites every day. His wording differs slightly from that in this link, but it is substantially the same.
There is also a Litany of the Sacred Heart. Litanies are a form of prayer in which invocations, usually stated by a leader, are responded to by all present. In private, one does both parts. In the linked version, the leader says what is in the left column, and the others present respond with what is to the right. The leader recites the prayer at the end, and all say "Amen." Seeing all the ways in which the heart of Jesus can be thought of, gives one an idea of the meaning of this devotion.
5 comments:
I´d been to mass too today, but the litany was held in latin, so I just kne some of the prayers. I think my Great grandfather was right to say that we eventually all can understand mass, since the 2nd Vatican Concile allowed mass in the native language.
naturgesetz,
This is off-topic, but over at the following link they are in dire need of an input as to what the Catholic atmosphere surrounding people with SSA is:
http://pursuegod.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/god-blessed-or-not-how-did-you-decide/
They want people to share who they arrived at their position on the issue, but as a side issue they are speculating about Catholic attitudes. Maybe you could give them insight.
That should be "how they arrived" not "who..."
NG
Thanks for your message. My mom went to a Sacred Heart Academy where she grew it and the emblem adourns our family gravestone.
Its such a simple message just love all, take care and be safe
bob
Thanks for the comments, guys.
@ Pilgrim — interesting that they did the Litany in Latin. Maybe they've always done it that way and just figure everybody is used to it. When we have Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in my parish, we sing O Salutaris Hostia and Tantum Ergo in Latin. We don't recite litanies, but I'm confident they would be in English if we did any.
@ A. Friend — thanks for the alert.
@ bob —It was a very popular devotion — lots of parishes and schools, the First Friday observances, and so on. I think the simplicity of the basic message, as well as its appeal to ordinary people, is what kept it alive for so long.
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