The Solemnity of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus
(Ezekiel 34:11-16; Romans 5:5b-11; Luke 15:3-7)
In this Jubilee Year of Mercy today’s feast takes on
special prominence. The Sacred Heart of
Jesus has universally symbolized God’s mercy.
It is found on the famous portrait of Divine Mercy that was envisioned
by Saint Faustina. In another popular artistic
representation the Sacred Heart is burning with love for whoever comes to the
Lord.
In the second reading St. Paul expresses the principal
sense of God’s mercy. He says that God
shows his love by dying on behalf of sinners.
This action has justified humans so that they no longer need to hang
their heads in guilt. But Paul does not
limit his vision of mercy to justification.
He sees the grace of Christ working within the saved to produce merciful acts that merit
salvation. It is as if men and women
were once like unruly teens that went through basic Marine Corps training and
rendered not only capable of defending their country but also of modeling proper
respect for all.
We thank God for the many ways that He has shown us His
mercy. He has given us powerful images
that remind us of His love. He has given
us the Scriptures in which we encounter Christ, our Savior. Most of all, He has imparted to us His Holy
Spirit so that we might love others with similar self-sacrifice.
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