Celebrate the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

   The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a great celebration, one that calls us to forego any penance or fasting we would otherwise reserve for Fridays in honor and remembrance of Jesus’ Passion and Death on Good Friday.  This solemnity, or solemn feast, is always on a Friday after the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

   Why do we celebrate the Sacred Heart of Jesus?  Well, because it was His Sacred Heart that “was pierced for our sins” [Isaiah 53:5].  We see the heart of someone as the core of their being.  Indeed, at the core of Jesus being on earth, was to love us with a Passion and emptying Himself out to the Father for us.  We celebrate the Sacred Heart of Jesus, because all that He did, He did for us.

   And the day after we celebrate the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Her heart was and will forever be inseparably linked to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  The mother that suffered much in her heart united her sufferings with those of her Son.  She knew what He was doing.  Instead of being mad at us, her children, she united her sufferings to her Son’s for the rest of her children.  Thank you, Mom!

   So, let’s celebrate these two days with great thanksgiving.  We are very thankful for their suffering hearts that now rejoice in Heaven and call us to the Heavenly banquet.

   Joseph, you cared for the hearts of Jesus and Mary, preparing them for their sufferings that we honor and celebrate.  Help our hearts to be more like theirs that we may live for Our Father and empty ourselves out for Our God and our neighbor.  Amen.