The Heart of Jesus

By Cardinal Justin Rigali

The Word of God becoming Flesh has always presented a great challenge to those confronted with the reality of the second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity taking on our human nature. Some theologians have even thought that the cause for the fall of the rebellious angels from heaven was their revolt against the idea of God taking on a human nature, inferior to their own angelic nature, which they were allowed to foresee.

When the aged Simeon looked down upon the infant Jesus, God in the Flesh, whom he was holding in his arms, he predicted that the child would be “destined for the fall and rise of many” (Luke 2:34). When Jesus preached during His public life, His claims and teachings were greeted with: “Is he not the carpenter’s son?” (Matthew 14:55). Even to His Death on the Cross, the crowds passing by taunted the dying Person, in whose present state a God could hardly be recognized, with the words: “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” Matthew 27:40).

Despite the fact that Jesus knew He would be doubted because of His humility in taking on our human nature out of love for us, He did so nonetheless. It was His great act of humility and love for us, so that we could identify completely with and also imitate Him who became a man like us in all things but sin.

From that Cross, immediately after His death, the Gospels tell us that His side was pierced with a lance and “blood and water flowed out.” This not only indicated the scientific fact that Jesus had died, but the Church has always taught that at that moment, from the wounded side of Christ, the Church was born. The blood which brought about our salvation would continue its saving work by the waters of Baptism.

The image of the love which made all the Christian mysteries possible
One of the most beautiful and tender images, which brings forth to our minds the overflowing love of our merciful God in becoming one of us, is the image of the Heart of Jesus, which the Church honors in a special way during the month of June. This month generally occurs at or near a time when we have completed the celebration of all the mysteries of our Redemption. After we have celebrated our Lord ’s Birth, Death, Resurrection, the mystery of His Presence in the Eucharist and even the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, what is there remaining to celebrate? The love which made possible all the mysteries of Christ! It is this love that we celebrate in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The devotion to the Sacred Heart arose at a period in the history of the Church when doubts were being expressed about the goodness of material things and of the human body in particular. In the seventeenth century, in certain parts of the world, a movement had sprung up which was harsh and severe in its search for sanctity. Although it began as a well intentioned desire for holiness, it eventually came to view the body and what was material as being hindrances to that holiness.

In the midst of that atmosphere, Jesus appeared to a French nun, whom we now know as Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. Although the Church never views private apparitions as the source of revelation, if they are genuine they serve to underline what the Church already believes and teaches. In this case, Jesus appeared to Sister Margaret Mary and showed her His Heart, saying: “Behold this Heart, which has loved so much and which receives so little love in return.” This is a reiteration of the teaching of the Gospels and the perennial teaching of the Church that the body of Jesus is a true body. He is the true Son of God, who took on flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, while not giving up His nature as God.

Inexhaustible source of mercy
In dwelling upon the mystery of the Sacred Heart, we are celebrating God’s love as it passes through the humanity of Jesus. From the pierced heart of Christ, there flowed all the mercy that makes the forgiveness of sins possible. It is a source of mercy that is inexhaustible and that does not admit of exceptions or conditions. In the Heart of Jesus, the fullness of pardon and mercy is poured out, giving to us a serene assurance that we can trust in Him and never fear Him. This is part of the fulfillment of God’s promises in the person of His Son.

Under the old covenant, there was only a shadow of all the mercy which Jesus came to win for us. We never hear from Jesus, or from His Church guided by the Spirit of Truth, those terrible words which were spoken by the Prophet Ezekiel when he witnessed the profanation of the temple. This is how he prayed that God would treat those who had been responsible for the profanation: “Do not look on them with pity nor show any mercy” (Ezekiel 9:5). All Jesus asks is that He be loved in return with a love that requires obedience to His teaching and true sorrow when we have failed to love Him as He deserves to be loved.

In his recent visit to the cities of Genoa and Savona in northern Italy, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of this quality of mercy found in the Heart of Christ. He said: “(Mercy) is the essence of Christianity because it is the essence of God Himself. God is One in that He is entirely and solely Love, but precisely because He is Love He is openness, acceptance, dialogue. And in his relations with us, sinful mankind, He is mercy, compassion, grace, forgiveness.”

Since the Holy Father was visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy, he also made a connection between Our Lady and the merciful Heart of Christ, which is especially appropriate as we move from the month of May into the month of June. He continued: “During the history of the Church, the Virgin Mary has always invited her children to return to God, to entrust themselves to Him in prayer, to knock with trusting insistence at the door of His merciful Heart” (Homily, Savona, 16 May 2008).

We are also challenged by the mercy of the Sacred Heart
This consoling message of the Sacred Heart that we have been speaking about also has a challenging aspect to it. It is that we who have received mercy, must also show that mercy to others. Saint Thomas Aquinas teaches that our past sins, once they have been forgiven, should never haunt us. He says that they should have only two purposes: to make us humble as we recall our forgiven sins and to help us in being merciful and understanding of the weaknesses and faults of others. We have been forgiven; we must forgive. This should be our constant challenge.

A touching example of this was found in the century that just ended. We are familiar with the story of Saint Maria Goretti, who was murdered by a man with whom she refused to commit sin. Many years later, after her murderer was released from prison, where he had experienced true sorrow for his sin, he approached Maria’s mother and asked her forgiveness. This peasant woman, poor in the things of this world and not possessing any formal education, did possess a rich sense of the mercy of Jesus. Her response to her daughter’s murderer, whom Maria had forgiven before she died, was: “God has forgiven you and Maria has forgiven you. How can I not forgive you?” The next morning they approached the Communion rail together to receive Jesus, the source of all mercy.

The devotion to the Sacred Heart has always contained the aspect of reparation as well. This is a concept by which we can, by offering our sufferings, disappointments and contradictions attempt to make up for the temporal punishment due to the sins we have committed, as well as those that have been committed by others. In fact, one of the prayers of the liturgical patrimony of the Church asks God “that we may make reparation (to the Sacred Heart) for our faults by offering Him the worship of our devotion.”

In a talk, which Archbishop Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee gave to the priests of our Archdiocese several years ago, he spoke of three aspirations, which he had learned as a child. He said that he still makes use of them and recommended that we do the same. At the beginning of this month of the Sacred Heart, I share them with you:

At the beginning of each day, say: “All for Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

When confused or anxious during the day, say: “Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee.”

Before going to sleep, say: “Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

May 29, 2008