Thirty-Third Mediation
On
the zeal Jesus expects we should show in extending devotion to his Sacred Heart
It is not enough that you have conceived a great
devotion to the sacred heart, you must also labor to diffuse it among others,
this, if you love, will not be difficult the proof most unequivocal of love,
being zeal for the lover's cause. “He who has no zeal," says St Augustine,
“has no love." The first means of exercising this zeal is, to furnish in
yourself an example of tender devotion to the heart of Jesus; and example is
the shortest and easiest mode of teaching. The second is to recommend and
explain it to those who are ignorant of it, and to increase and augment it in
those who already know it. The third and the easiest is, to pray this sacred
heart to make itself known and loved, by those secret movements which enlighten
and touch hearts. No one can excuse himself from employing this easy means. The
saints well knew what prayer can do with God in zealous enterprises; and hence,
they never failed to unite it with preaching, remembering “that neither he who
plants, nor he who waters, is any thing; but God, who gives the increase."
It is related of a certain Jesuit father, that he never preached without
spending three hours in most fervent prayer, accompanied by tears. A lay
brother of the same society, being asked what means he took to gain souls to
God, in his office of porter, said, “ I speak one word to men, and a hundred to
God." Let us then pray; and if our sins render us unworthy of being the
instruments which Jesus Christ employs to make Known his sacred heart, let us
ask him to substitute others in our place. Let us conjure him to send laborers
into his harvest, who, penetrated with the advantages of this devotion, will
devote themselves to extend it. Let us pray; all is given to prayer. A holy
soul having asked God, why, in this corrupt age, he does not raise up some one
of those saints, whose zeal changes the world, in some manner, he replied, “ I
am not prayed fervently for it." Our Lord declared to sister Margaret that
he would bestow treasures of grace, which it would be impossible to express, on
those who would devote themselves to procure his sacred heart all the honor
and glory they could; and he showed her the names of many engraved on his
heart, because of their desire so to do.
Say thrice: Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
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