The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary on the Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus reveal the nature of God is Love.
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| Love in the Heart |
The reading from the Book of Deuteronomy declares Israel as God’s treasured possession.
his treasured possession.1
Psalm 103 is a thanksgiving for God’s Goodness.
* [Psalm 103] The speaker in this hymn begins by praising God for personal benefits (Ps 103:1–5), then moves on to God’s mercy toward all the people (Ps 103:6–18).2
The passage from the First Letter of John proclaims God Is Love.
* [4:7–12] Love as we share in it testifies to the nature of God and to his presence in our lives. One who loves shows that one is a child of God and knows God, for God’s very being is love; one without love is without God. The revelation of the nature of God’s love is found in the free gift of his Son to us, so that we may share life with God and be delivered from our sins. The love we have for one another must be of the same sort: authentic, merciful; this unique Christian love is our proof that we know God and can “see” the invisible God.3
In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus thanks His Father for those who accept His Love and His gentle mastery.
* [11:25–27] This Q saying, identical with Lk 10:21–22 except for minor variations, introduces a joyous note into this section, so dominated by the theme of unbelief. While the wise and the learned, the scribes and Pharisees, have rejected Jesus’ preaching and the significance of his mighty deeds, the childlike have accepted them. Acceptance depends upon the Father’s revelation, but this is granted to those who are open to receive it and refused to the arrogant. Jesus can speak of all mysteries because he is the Son and there is perfect reciprocity of knowledge between him and the Father; what has been handed over to him is revealed only to those whom he wishes.4
The Carmelite Brothers have prepared a Lectio Divina on Matthew 11:25-27.
Eileen Burke-Sullivan notes that today’s Liturgical celebration of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart comes in the midst of a world that is in the throes of change, desperately seeking to remain alive. The power of pandemic disease continues to ravage the populations of nations, the forces of hatred and division deeply embedded in histories of privilege and oppression are being explosively revealed and challenged, and the power of fear creates social and economic chaos in community after community.
But this year the Church’s liturgy, often replete with images of power and great acts of transformation discloses the solid, silent power of the deep roots of foundational love; the silent fidelity of love for a thousand generations (remember that the biblical ”thousand” is “infinite number”) found in the text from Deuteronomy. The Second Reading from John’s first letter simply calls for us to “remain.” To stay patiently faithful through the trauma and passages – to hold fast to the fidelity of God. Finally, the Matthean Gospel presents the image of meekness as the symbol of power; of accepting the yoke that binds us to God’s freedom– easy and light in its tender protection of our pathway into mercy and fidelity.5
Don Schwager quotes “The grace of Christ bears us up,” from an anonymous early Christian teacher.
"'My yoke is easy and my burden light'... The prophet says this about the burden of sinners: 'Because my iniquities lie on top of my head, so they have also placed a heavy burden on me' (Psalm 38:4)... 'Place my yoke upon you, and learn from me that I am gentle and humble of heart.' Oh, what a very pleasing weight that strengthens even more those who carry it! For the weight of earthly masters gradually destroys the strength of their servants, but the weight of Christ rather helps the one who bears it, because we do not bear grace; grace bears us. It is not for us to help grace, but rather grace has been given to aid us." (excerpt from the INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 29: PG 56:780)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 John 4:7-16 comments that through the love that the Holy Spirit pours into us, we can learn to love people just as Jesus loves them—and as he loves us (Romans 5:5). This doesn’t happen overnight, of course. As we strengthen our relationship with Jesus, we are brought little by little into the perfect love that God wants all of us to show each other.
This means that when you feel tempted to be critical of someone but choose instead to be compassionate, it’s a sign that Jesus’ love is burning in you. When you reach out to help someone even though you are tired, inconvenienced, or annoyed, it’s a sign that Jesus’ love is abiding in you.
As you contemplate Jesus’ Sacred Heart today, remember that his love for you isn’t meant to end with you. Through the Holy Spirit, he wants to fan the flames of his love so that you can share it with everyone you encounter.
“Come, Holy Spirit, and draw me closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Fill me with a burning desire to love everyone in my path.”7
Friar Jude Winkler explains the special relationship created by the Commandments with the people of Israel. God is defined as Love that John sees in the hour of glory when God loves us to death. Friar Jude reminds us of the custom fitted yoke to which we are invited by Jesus to help us carry the load.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Rev. angel Kyodo, one of very few black women Zen Senseis (teachers). Not long after finding her place as an activist for social justice, she came up against the need for not just reacting to what was happening in the world, which gave her a sense of purpose, but developing a way to look at what was happening, which provided a sense of meaning.
I found a second home in cultivating a spiritual life. . . . My formal Zen practice and training were teaching me to find a more restful place that I could abide in within myself despite the chaos and calamity [of] living in an unjust society. . . . It also gave me a way to be in response to sometimes overwhelming situations that could just lead me to a downward spiral of anger and negativity. . . .
May all beings be granted with the strength, determination and wisdom to extinguish anger and reject violence as a way.
May all suffering cease and may I seek, find, and fully realize the love and compassion that already lives within me and allow them to inspire and permeate my every action.
May I exercise the precious gift of choice and the power to change [as] that which makes me uniquely human and is the only true path to liberation.
May I swiftly reach complete, effortless freedom so that my fearless, unhindered action be of benefit to all.
May I lead the life of a warrior.8
Our gratitude for the gift of Love revealed to us in Jesus, through the Spirit, inspires us to respond by reaching out to those around us.
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