Thursday, June 21, 2007

"One of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water" (John 19:34)

The Holy Catholic Church propagates devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus as the simplest and easiest way to attain holiness of life. The devotion present to us Heart of Jesus saddened for our iniquities, the main obstacle to sanctity. To repay for those sins, out of charity, the Heart offered itself up for us, giving us example for sacrifices necessary to achieve sanctification. The Heart beats for each one of us and asks in return for similar commitment through sanctity of life. How real therefore is the invocation: "Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness". Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the beacon of Christian sanctity, for the Heart lived in hypostatic union with God, and for God's Glory, in love for us, deep in humility and meakness. St Mary Margaret Alacoque usually said that nothing could be more sanctifying than Sacred Heart devotion. And indeed, in the last several hundred years, all Saints venerated in the Catholic Church without exception were Sacred Heart devotees. Therefore, if we think seriously about attaining any level of personal holiness we should have or be ready to develop this devotion. We should recommend ourselves to the Mother of God and Mother of the Heart of Jesus that was formed from her very blood. She was first to love It the most and she was the first and perfect follower of Sacred Heart. We need to ask her for devotion most genuine and practical to our state of life: "You shall draw waters with joy out of the saviour's fountains" (Isaias 12:3)