Celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart

Today is the solemn feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We know that the heart is the most commonly used symbol for love. The dominant theme for the celebration of the feast this year is that of the love and concern of a shepherd for his flock. We are familiar with the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, but the first reading from Ezekiel 34:11-16 teaches us that in the first place it is God the Father who says that he will be a true shepherd for his flock, rescuing them from wherever they have been scattered during the mist and darkness. We remember how in Mark 6:34 when Jesus went ashore he saw a great crowd; he had compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He taught them and then fed them, but first he told them to sit down in small groups, so that they would know each other better and be ready to share. Jesus calls us his flock because he wants us to be united in community. As St Paul tells us in Romans, ''What proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us when we were still sinners.'' Jesus tells us '' I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. I lay down my life for my flock so that there will be one flock and one shepherd.'' (John 10:14-15). God our Father, we thank you for all the wonders of your love which the Sacred Heart of your Son Jesus has revealed to us. May we share in that love as Jesus, our Good Shepherd, unites us in the community of his flock with all our sisters and brothers. ''For those who do not love a brother or sister who they see, cannot love God whom they have not seen.'' (1John 4:20)

 

Don Hornsey