Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
(Deuteronomy 7:6-11; I John 4:7-16; Matthew 11:25-30)
One of the more popular saints these days is St.
Monica. She was the mother of St.
Augustine who spent much of his youth resisting Christ. Monica prayed intently for her son, and in
time he converted. Many parents today
find themselves praying like St. Monica.
Their children, raised Catholics, have abandoned their faith. Not only do they not attend mass, but in many
cases have given themselves to the pursuit of alcohol or drugs.
Jesus hears the prayers of these parents. His heart is “meek and humble” ready to share
the burden of anyone who asks him. He
can convert sinners as well as cure the most troubling of illnesses. He cured the paralytic at the Bethesda pool
of the Jerusalem Temple who had no one put him into the water.
Today we come to Jesus with our special needs. We want him to help those whom we love most
on earth. We ask him to heal them of
evil, be it physical like the paralytic or moral like so many people who choose
pleasure over righteous living. We can pray
with confidence because we are sure that he loves us.
