The Holy Gospel according to Matthew (11:25-30)
At that time Jesus exclaimed:”I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones.Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Reflection: Today is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. We are honoring the compassion and love of Christ. His human heart, moved with pity for his flock; his divine heart, pierced for the sins of his people. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus began in the 11th and 12th centuries. The devotion became prominent through our Lord’s private revelation to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century. In these revelations, Christ revealed his Heart as a symbol of his boundless love for us.
Our gospel today talks about how God’s heart offers itself to the meek and powerless. God’s heart rewards those who are humble enough to acknowledge weaknesses and failures. We need to be humble and accept that we are all sinners who need God’s mercy and compassion.
The last lines in today’s Gospel have been a huge help and consolation to millions of people over the years. We all know the times of carrying heavy burdens of failure, pain, loss, shame, guilt, depression, hopelessness. We can all add to this list. All can be part of our prayer and relationship with God. Only in honestly admitting our needs can we find the rest our soul longs for. A soul at rest can share the peace of God.
Hopefully, we have seen an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On this feast day, focus on this image of the Sacred Heart to see what it might say to us. First of all, the heart tells us that he is human, God in the flesh. The flames represent the love Jesus has for each one of us. The crown of thorns symbolizes a God who laid down his life out of love for us.
We know that we are loved sinners. Maybe there are times when we think we do not deserve God’s love because of our sins. But when we look at the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we know for certain that his love will always burn for us.
Action for the day: Take sometime today to sit quietly with Jesus and focus on his Sacred Heart. Pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart. Pray for the grace to experience his burning love for you.
Audio Reflection:
Thank you, Deacon Mike.
Thank you and Martha for answering yes to God’s call to be a deacon. What a blessing you are to us all!!! Happy 16th anniversary of your ordination. God bless you both.
Joella