Homily (Reflection) for the Solemnity
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (A) (23rd June, 2017) on the Gospel and
the Solemnity
Deut 7:6-11;
Ps 102:1-4.6-8.10. (R. v.17);1Jn 4:7-16;
Matt 11:25-30.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus can be traced back to
the eleventh century. It marked the spirituality of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
in the twelfth century and of Saint Bonaventure and Saint Gertrude the Great in
the thirteenth century. The devotion to the love of God as symbolized by the
heart of Jesus is found even in the fathers of the Church including Origen,
Saint Ambrose, Saint Jerome, Saint Augustine of Hippo, Saint Hippolytus of
Rome, Saint Irenaeus, Saint Justin Martyr and Saint Cyprian.
But the first liturgical feast of the Sacred Heart was
celebrated, with episcopal approval, on 31st August 1670, in the
major seminary of Rennes, France, through the efforts of Saint John Eudes. The
revelations to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque and Blessed Mary of the Divine
Heart Droste zu Vischering gave this devotion more impetus. Mass of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus was approved by the papacy for Poland and Portugal in 1765, and
for Venice, Austria and Spain in 1788. Finally, in 1856, Pope Pius IX extended it
to the universal Church. Pope Pius XI raised it to Solemnity in 1928.[1]
Topic: Cross in Love.
As we celebrate the love of God as symbolized by the heart of
Jesus, Jesus calls in today’s gospel, “Come to me, all you that are weary and
are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). Again, the Psalmist wrote, “Cast your burden on the
LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved”
(Ps 55:22).
These verses and similar ones taken in isolation might lead
to the conclusion that following Christ shields one from every evil. The gospel
reads further, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light” (Matt 11:29-30).
Whenever one lowers the burden of sin he/she takes up that of righteousness and
God support those who carry the burden of righteousness.
Both the virtuous and the wicked can suffer but the difference
is in the outcome. The freedom of Christ has set us free from the heavy burden
of sin. It is our duty to ensure that we do not fall back to the yoke of
slavery to sin, cf. Gal 5:1. It is
only a person who has made up his/her mind to be the slave of God alone who can
say with Saint Paul:
Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing
worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of
all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ (Phil 3:8).
Dear ones in the Lord, “God so loved the world that he gave
his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life” (Jn 3:16). Let us bear the
yoke of the Lord of heaven and earth which is easy and light so that we may find
rest for our souls.
Bible Reading: Is 1:2-20; 1Pt 3:8-22; 4:12-19; Phil 2:12-18.
Thought for today: Which burden
do you bear – Christ’s or devils?
Let us pray: God our
Father help us to remember always that we can have rest only in you. Give us
also the grace to be always in you – Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus – Thy kingdom come!
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