11th Sunday, Sacred Heart of Jesus

 

In the Gospel today, St. Matthew said, "At the sight of the crowds, Jesus' heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd."

Due to our country's 250th anniversary of its founding in 1776, last Thursday evening, the Vigil of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the US Bishops gathered for their summer meetings in Washington DC and together they consecrated the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By this consecration, we ask that we may be one nation under God and that our country will glorify God.

Bishop Kemme asked all parishes to do the consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, which we did at the 7am Mass.

The Heart of Jesus began to beat the first time when it was formed in Mary's womb. His Heart was moved with pity for the crowds on several occasions, once when He said the crowds were like sheep without a shepherd and another time before multiplying the loaves and fish. Jesus said His Heart is meek and humble. St. John, the apostle, rested his head against the Heart of Jesus at the Last Supper and he stood at the foot of the Cross and saw His Heart pierced with a lance.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had a vision of the Lord on June 16th, 1675. The Heart of Jesus surrounded by flames of love, crowned with thorns and pierced with an open wound in which blood flood and inside which appeared a cross. Jesus said, “Behold this Heart which has so loved men, that It has spared nothing even to exhausting and consuming itself in order to testify to its love. In return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude by their irreverence and sacrileges by the coldness and contempt they have for me in this Sacrament of Love.” “In return, (for My love), I receive from the greater part only ingratitude by their irreverence and sacrileges by the coldness and contempt they have for me in this Sacrament of Love.” “What is most painful to Me, is that they are hearts consecrated to Me". In other words, Jesus especially wanted reparation for priests and religious who treat Him terribly in the Holy Eucharist. He said, "It is for this reason I ask thee that the first Friday after the octave of the Blessed Sacrament be appropriated to a special feast, to honor My Heart by (receiving Communion) on that day, and making reparation for the indignity that it has received. And I promise that My Heart shall dilate to pour out abundantly the influences of its love on all that will render it this honor or procure its being rendered".

Our Lord asked for reparation on the first 9 Fridays, by receiving Him in Holy Communion and Jesus gave 12 promises. 1. I will give them all of the graces necessary for their state of life. 2. I will establish peace in their homes. 3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions. 4. I will be their strength during life and above all during death. 5. I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings. 6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy. 7. Tepid souls shall grow fervent. 8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection. 9. I will bless every place where a picture of my heart shall be set up and honored. 10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts. 11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out. The 12th promise is the greatest. Jesus said, "I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant all to those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus consists in loving Jesus, in return--- for His great love for us. Second, reparation for the many offenses committed against Him, especially in the Eucharist.

We come to know the incredible love Jesus has for us in the Eucharist, at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where He gives Himself to us in Holy Communion. In Holy Communion, our heart is united to the Heart of Jesus, and there is a real and profound union of hearts and an exchange of love. Mother Teresa said, "When we see a crucifix, we see how much Jesus loved us back then, but when we look at the Eucharist, we see how much Jesus loves us now."

Jesus remains with us in the Tabernacle. He is always here for us. With our mind’s eye, we gaze upon His Eucharistic Heart beating for us. We heed Our Lord’s words, “Come to me, all you who are burdened and I will give you rest” because in adoration we rest near His Sacred Heart and give Him our burdens.

In the Eucharist, the Heart of Jesus is constantly beating, throbbing and pulsating for love of us. Jesus is madly in love with us. Eucharistic miracles, that turned to flesh, were scientifically tested which is living Heart tissue. Jesus wants us to know that the Eucharist is truly His beating Heart and beating out of love for us.

We show Jesus we love Him by struggling against sin, embracing suffering, striving for virtue, and doing our daily duties to the best of our ability. Our love for Jesus is reflected in our love of neighbor, as we become Jesus to others and help them in all their needs.

Jesus wants images of His Sacred Heart be honored. He promised St. Margaret Mary Alacoque He “will bless the home in which the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.”

After Mass, every family and every individual can take a picture of the Heart of Jesus and display it in your home. Through a formal ceremony, a priest or the head of the household can enthrone the Heart of Jesus in your home. It takes about 15 minutes. There is a 3 day or 9 day preparation of prayers that can be said before the enthronement, which can be found on-line. Any picture or a statue of the Heart of Jesus can be enthroned. When we enthrone (display) the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a prominent place and signify that Jesus is the King, friend and brother of the family, wherein Jesus is the center and source of love for all. By the Enthronement, we link the Tabernacle of our parish to our home, inviting Our Lord to be our constant and most intimate Companion and reminds us that Jesus is among us and with us. It expresses Christ’s Kingship and daily reminding each member of the family to follow in His royal way by making reparation for sins and striving to serve God and neighbor more lovingly.

At the end of Mass we will pray the US Bishop's Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and we will also pray the Consecration prayers to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to St. Joseph.

Today, we declare Jesus Christ is King and Lord of our life and our families. We place Him above sports, above work, above family, above everything. No matter the difficulty, no matter the concern, no matter what it is, we give it to Jesus, we place everything in His beating Sacred Heart, trusting He will do what is best for us.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, we trust in you! Sacred Heart of Jesus, we love you. Sacred Heart of Jesus be our salvation!

O Immaculate Heart of Mary, we honor you and ask you to be our Mother and keep us close to the Heart of Your Son.

O St. Joseph, whose fatherly heart protects us, give us the graces we need to make our family, a holy family.