In Praise of All Things Sacred

In the Catholic Church, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is traditionally celebrated on the first Friday after the Feast of Corpus Christi. This year, the Church will be celebrating the solemnity of Christ’s Sacred Heart on June 3, 2016. Solemnities and feast days on the Church’s calendar serve the purpose of reminding Catholics about something special, something out of the ordinary, something sacred. Since the days of Christ’s appearance to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque when He revealed the power of his infinite love and mercy there has been a special devotion to the heart of Jesus Christ, the very heart which is the love of God for all humanity. Traditionally, the artistic representation of the Sacred Heart is depicted by radiant rays of light bursting from a vibrant human heart surrounded by a crown of thorns above which is a burning flame of divine love and a cross.

That the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart is very often celebrated in June is serendipitous, for the name of the month of June is derived from the ancient Iunius, which in Latin meant “sacred to Juno” a goddess in Roman mythology. The word sacred has always had religious connotations and is synonymous with that which is cherished. The world is filled with an abundance of tangible as well as intangible gifts that are sacred whether or not they are recognized as such. In a prayer to the Sacred Heart there is a strong reminder of the gifts God holds dear, what is cherished ­ what is sacred ­ for when our actions violate these gifts our prayers should lean toward making reparation or atonement for such actions. These prayers of atonement advise us to cherish the integrity of the human body, to protect innocence, to keep the Lord’s day holy, to withhold harsh words against God, His creation, and His servants, to recall the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins, and to promote peace and justice in the world around us.

Has the concept of sacred become extinct? Hardly. What is truly sacred may be challenged by modern secularism and moral relativism. Restoring the concept of sacred can be a challenge in the contemporary world, however, we, as Catholics, can confront these challenges with the virtues of dignity, integrity, and courage. The Catholic Church continues to encourage us to hold fast to the dignity of the human person ­ by placing value on the chastity of the human body, respecting privacy, honoring the sanctity of marriage, protecting the innocence of our children and teaching them to love God; and by safeguarding the environment and caring for our neighbors. Today’s world holds a special challenge to Catholics to cherish God’s creation, to restore dignity and respect where it has been eroded by confusing messages, and to place the highest value on the gifts we’ve received from God ­ for they are sacred.

Perhaps today, rediscovering the sacred is much like the work of a classicist excavator who goes in search of the most highly valued masterpiece from the past. Fortunately for such an excavator, the treasure is held firmly within the heart of Jesus Christ ­ yesterday, today, forever. A devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the key to unlocking all things sacred.