THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS (SOLEMNITY)

God is love. 

When John writes that God is love, he doesn’t leave us wondering what he means. Instead, he explains how God’s love was revealed to us: “God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him” (1 John 4:9). And this was God’s initiative—he loved us first (4:10).

John’s words here can help us understand God’s love, but images can bring us new insights as well. On this feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let’s reflect on the popular image of the Sacred Heart to see what it might want to say to us.

In the many paintings and illustrations of this image, Jesus is pointing to his heart, which has a flame rising above it and a circle of thorns encircling it. His heart tells us who he is: God in the flesh, who stooped down to become human, like the creatures he created, so that he could redeem us.

The flame represents the burning love Jesus has for each one of us. This is a love that never fails, a love that longs for each person to know him and the forgiveness he offers. It is a flame that will burn throughout our lives and even into eternity!

The crown of thorns symbolizes a God who willingly laid down his life out of love for us. Though Roman soldiers used the crown to mock Jesus, God used it to show that he truly is the King of the Universe. But this King, though whipped and crucified, rose from the dead, conquering sin and death once and for all.

We know that God is love. Yet we all have moments when we wonder if God really loves us. Maybe we’ve sinned in some way and feel that we don’t deserve his love. Or perhaps we are in a truly difficult situation and wonder how God could allow such a thing to happen. Or maybe we don’t see our prayers answered the way we want and think he isn’t hearing us.

But when we look at the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we know for certain that his love will always burn for us. Today on this special feast, make some time to sit silently with Jesus. Let him lavish this love on you.

“Lord, let me experience your burning love for me today.”

Deuteronomy 7:6-11
Psalm 103:1-4, 6-8, 10
1 John 4:7-17
Matthew 11:25-30