"Behold the
Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing,
even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to
testify Its love…
“I promise you that My Heart shall expand Itself to shed
in abundance the influence of Its Divine Love upon those
who shall honor It, and cause It to be honored."
Those were the words of Our Lord to St. Margaret Mary in
1675. They are simple words, inviting the world to once
again fall in love with Christ, and to recognize His
intense love for us.
The
Church “uses” this month of June, dedicated to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, to help us recall His perennial
invitation to drink deeply at the fount of God’s Mercy.
Pope John Paul wrote eloquently of this in his letter to
the Church on Divine Mercy:
“The
Church must profess and proclaim God's mercy in all its
truth, as it has been handed down to us by revelation.
“In the daily life of the Church the truth about the
mercy of God, expressed in the Bible, resounds as a
perennial echo through the many readings of the Sacred
Liturgy. The authentic sense of faith of the People of
God perceives this truth, as is shown by various
expressions of personal and community piety.
“Mercy in itself, as a perfection of the infinite God,
is also infinite…inexhaustible is the Father's readiness
to receive the prodigal children who return to His home.
Infinite are the readiness and power of forgiveness
which flow continually from the marvelous value of the
sacrifice of the Son.
“No human sin can prevail over this power or even limit
it. On the part of man only a lack of good will can
limit it, a lack of readiness to be converted and to
repent…especially in the face of the witness of the
cross and resurrection of Christ.”
God
continues through the centuries and through His saints
to repeat the timeless, eternal message and the timeless
invitation of the Gospel: His mercy endures forever.
The revelations of His Sacred Heart are one more example
of the inexhaustible hunger of God for us.
Let’s thank God for that. And then, let’s do our best
to respond.
God
bless you and all those dear to your hearts!
Fr.
Tim, MI
