Those who honor my Sacred Heart shall become my ardent disciples

It is something I learned many years ago and have kept an opening to his promises given to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Earlier I mentioned seeing pictures of the Sacred Heart and the immaculate heart of Mary hanging in the hall at St. James school. For some reason these large pictures left a feeling of comfort and safety in my own heart that never left me. It wasn’t until many years later that my encounter with his Sacred Heart through reading about this comfort zone of a human heart in the person of Jesus Christ and what an advocacy to it would have upon my life.

We sometimes do not like to speak about ourselves as it can be a personal indictment that means very little to those reading about me. However, just like Augustine and many other men and women sent by God to reach the unchurched or sinners that have lost their way, a personal glimpse at any of us can set a path for others to follow. Every person that receives a calling from God is not a Saint or a very holy person that says God will use me! In fact, those that are used have the same free will that at any moment can redirect their potential ability given through the Holy Spirit to tell the Lord, “Call someone else; I am too weak and sinful to carry out my assignment.”

From Egypt Abram went up to the Negeb with his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot accompanied him. Now Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold. Lot, who went with Abram also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support them if they stayed together; their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. There were quarrels between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and those of Lot’s. From this alone the epic of growth from Abram and Lot could become a never ending battle of personalities, successful missions that God was sending Abram that keeping his eyes on the task that God was sending him could become too much if the only desire would be following the Lord. (Gn 13: 1 - 2, 5 - 7). Yet, in spite of the many obstacles that Abraham encountered, especially with the testing of this sojourner to sacrifice his only son. Little did he realize this would be the same event that God would be called upon, by his own acceptance, to sacrifice his Son as well.

None of us knows what to expect as we answer the call from God, and that is what following the Sacred Heart of Christ, through his Passion and Resurrection would present to us a sacrifice if only following the attributes that Christ revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alacque.

Sometimes any one of us may take one of the promises for those dedicated to his Sacred Heart literally, but incorrectly, and become a laughing stock because of it. “I will bless every home in which an image of My Heart will be honored.” I took the meaning as wearing a badge of the Sacred Heart around my neck and of course not thinking about the austere vision that everyone would see and took me as a bit of a religious nut. One day as I was rounding a stairway the chain got caught on the corner of the railing and broke off. That was the end of my austerity. It was what my ordained ministry led me to reach people in a quiet but positive manner that showed me the silence of accomplishment is known to God alone and therefore becomes the fervor of following Christ .

I mentioned before that the first Christmas, after dedicating myself to the Sacred Heart, my wife bought me a large wall picture framed and touching of the Sacred Heart. That was Christmas 1961. It still hangs over my desk and reminds me of the acceptance I took upon my desire to follow Christ and followed the attributes as best that I could. There is something that can develop within anyone who takes upon themselves that only he/she can feel through his Sacred Heart.

Ralph B.Hathaway