Wednesday, June 17, 2015

MONTH OF SACRED HEART OF JESUS - SEVENTEENTH DAY



June 17 - The Desires of the Heart of Jesus

The sacred heart is animated particularly by four desires; the first, that which he testified to his apostles the day of the last supper, when he said, “With desire have I desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suffer." This shows that we can never approach the holy table with so much eagerness to receive our Lord, as he has to give himself to us. It would seem that this adorable mystery was the centre of his affections, and that, having accomplished it, and completed this great masterpiece of his love, he believed he had no more to do than to suffer and die for us. This was his second desire; he expressed it when he said, “I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptized, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished. This baptism was a baptism of blood. The heart of Jesus considered the cross as the altar on which he was to consummate the sacrifice of propitiation for our sins, and hence be eagerly sighed after it. This desire was only the effect of one far more pressing, and which we may denominate his third—that for the salvation of souls. “I thirst," said the amiable Savior, in the excess of his agony; “I burn with ardent thirst for your salvation, your peace, your eternal happiness." The fourth, and greatest of all his desires, was to glorify his Father, and to' make him reign by love in the hearts of men. “I am come to cast fire on earth, and what will I," said he, “but that it will be enkindled?" Such are the holy ardors of the heart of Jesus, and such the model on which the saints form themselves. Yes; they go to the holy table with a violent hunger, like St Catherine of Genoa, who, seeing the sacred host in the hands of the priest, said, “Quick, quick, give me the bread of life." They desire to suffer because it is the means of becoming like Jesus Christ. St Andrew, perceiving the cross which was prepared for him, exclaimed, “0 cross long desired." Again, zeal for souls pressed the saints so much, that the sight of the pains and labours they should suffer in seeking to save them, so far from dispiriting, caused them to say, like St Francis Xavier, “Still more, 0 Lord, still more." In fine, desire for God's glory was the only object which affected them; they forgot themselves in order to procure it, adopting the maxim of St Ignatius in everything—to the greater glory of God. How remote we are from these generous sentiments! What indifference for the holy table, what terror for the cross, what little zeal for souls, and desire of God's glory, animate us! 0 heart of Jesus! so full of love for my insensible heart, change it—transform it; you can do it if you will.

Say 3x: Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.



 What do men do for the heart of Jesus?

Not to speak of Jews and heretics, what return does Jesus receive from those who believe in His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament? From some, it is true, He receives the homage of adoration day and night, and that gratitude and filial devotion which are His due; but only from a few; and what does He receive from others? Neglect, disdain, contempt, profanation, sacrilege.
Have we nothing to reproach ourselves with on this head in the past or the present? What shall we say even now of our negligence in visiting the Sacred Heart in the Blessed Sacrament where it is always burning with love for us of our many distractions, our little care to make devout preparation and thanksgiving for Holy Communion? Have we not good reason to fear that our dispositions are not such as the Sacred Heart desires to see in us?

Affection
An ardent desire to be one of the few true friends and worshipers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Resolution
To neglect no means of securing the fulfillment of this desire.











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