The Worship of the Sacred Heart in Relation to the Love of God and of Our Neighbour
1. There is nothing sentimental about having devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Neither does this devotion consist only in prayers and pious practices. It is much deeper than this. It should flood our whole being, enkindle the fire of divine love in our hearts, and transform our lives in accordance with the commands of Jesus. A love which is not active cannot be genuine; it is only a passing emotion.
Our love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus should be real and effective. As far as possible it should change us into living replicas of Jesus Christ.
“You are my friends,” He said, “if you do the things I command you.” (John 15, 14) Which commands does He mean? All of them, of course. “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. (Mt. 11, 29) If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Mt. 16, 24) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul.” (Mt. 22, 37)
Anyone who practises these precepts and all others which are contained in the Gospel is sincerely devoted to the Sacred Heart. If anyone neglects to put them into practice, but is satisfied with prayers, ejaculations and the performance of spiritual exercises, his devotion is empty and has no foundation.
These prayers, ejaculations and pious practices have their value in so far as they can attract God’s grace. But we must co-operate with God’s grace by our good actions. Then our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus will be sincere and effective.
2. The cult of the Sacred Heart demands especially the practice of the two great fundamental precepts of Christianity, namely, that we should love God above all things and our neighbour as ourselves. The implementation of this teaching can transform our lives.
Do we love God above all things and more than we love ourselves? What is the predominant concept in our minds? Is it the concept of God? What is the first love in our hearts? Is it the love of God? What is our main desire in life? Is it the glory of God? Or is it our own glory or our own pleasure?
We have still a long way to go in the way of the love of God, which is the way of perfection. We can only really be said to be ourselves, moreover, when we love God above all things and more than ourselves. If a man does not love God above all things, neither does he love himself in the way in which he ought to love himself, because God is our only true happiness.
Do we love our neighbour as ourselves? How much moral and physical wretchedness do we see around us? But do we try and remedy it by every means in our power, no matter what the sacrifice? Or are we cold and disinterested? Let us remember the words of St. John, the apostle of charity. “In this we have come to know his love, that he laid down his life for us; and we likewise ought to lay down our life for the brethren.” (I John 3, 16) Are we prepared to do this? Are we at least prepared to give away whatever we do not need ourselves in order to relieve poverty and want?
3. Anyone who is lacking in an effective love for God and for his neighbour has no real devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
"My Jesus, mercy!"
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