Solemnity of the Most
Sacred Heart of Jesus
(Deuteronomy 7:6-11; I John 4:7-16; Matthew 11:25-30)
Time is too slow for those who wait,
Too swift for those who fear,
Too long for those who grieve,
Too short for those who rejoice,
But for those who love, time is eternity.
The author of these words, Henry Van Dyke, was a
Christian preacher. No doubt, he realized
that his statement is true because of Jesus Christ. Jesus not only showed the world the extent of
God’s love by his death on the cross. He
also sent us his Spirit so that we too might love as he did.
What makes the love of Jesus different from ordinary
human love? Two qualities stand out. First,
Jesus, imitating the Father, loves us in our sinfulness. He
sees our beauty despite knowing our defects.
Second, Jesus’ love for us is without any particular gain for
himself. He does not need our love, but
we need his if we are to love for all eternity.
The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart especially celebrates
the love of God in Jesus Christ. His
heart is often pictured with a crown of thorns and drops of blood. Both indicate the passion Jesus endured in
expressing his love for us.
