June 9, 2023
At my former parish assignment in Wilmington, there stood a majestic stone statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus right outside my office window. With arms outstretched, this image of Christ appears to be blessing the world, and from time to time I would catch people responding with both simple and profound gestures to what the Sacred Heart represents in their lives. School-aged children would sometimes run around him playfully; a mother walking her young sons through the neighborhood would point to the statue and teach her sons how to bless themselves; joggers and dog-walkers would often glance as they pass; and one particular time, a woman dressed in uniform stopped her car, got out, whispered a quick prayer and then continued on her way.
The Church dedicates this month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By doing so, she wants us to know that the love of God as seen reflected in the Heart of Christ is freely offered to all people, no exceptions. Our Lord’s Heart is open and pierced for those who suffer and mourn; it still beats eternally for those who have no place for God and religion in their lives; and this same Heart is present to those who joyfully embrace and celebrate the gift of faith they have been given.
In a radio interview with journalist Maria Shriver, the host asked her famous guest to define what love means to her in light of her own experiences of marriage and family. Shriver offered this: “Love, when it is authentic, puts one in an open and vulnerable place.”
A Heart open and made vulnerable: that is who Christ is for us. May we always find comfort and rest within the very Heart of God whose Love ever beats for us, His children.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we place our trust in Thee.