Today, Catholics all over the world celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In Christian Art, the Sacred Heart of Jesus is often depicted with a heart exposed with a flame and a cross, referring to God’s tremendous love for all of humanity.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart can be traced back to a mystical experience of a French nun named Margaret Mary Alacoque, who said Jesus appeared to her, starting in 1673, and told her to propagate a devotion to His Heart while praying before the Blessed Sacrament.
The most notable of the apparitions was during the Octave of the Feast of Corpus Christi. Margaret Mary said: “Jesus showed me that it was His great desire of being loved by men and of withdrawing them from the path of ruin into which Satan hurls such crowds of them, that made Him from the design of manifesting His Heart to men.”
The Sacred Heart devotion has been alive in our country since the time of the evangelization by the Spaniards. Today, this devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ is continually growing as shown by the number of people attending First Friday Masses in parish churches, in offices, and in various communities. The Image of the Sacred Heart can be seen in homes, in vehicles, and even in commercial establishments.
However, it is not enough to venerate His Image and to worship Him. We must translate our devotion by imitating His love for all. He has a special preference for the poor, the marginalized, the sinners, and the outcasts in the society. His heart reaches out to these people. Our hearts must also do the same.
As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, may our hearts also look out for these people. True devotion to the Sacred Heart means making our hearts like His – a heart that is slow to judge but is always ready to welcome all including the least, the lost, and the last.
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