Happy Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and feast of the Immaculate Heart of Blessed Mother Mary!

Do we really understand the meaning of Jesus’ Sacred Heart and Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Heart? Not until recently that I have the grace to get a glimpse of what and how the Lord’s Sacred Heart loves us and suffers for us. I was inspired to ask for the Lord’s Sacred Heart so that I could learn how to love like Him.

Well, I surely did not know what I was asking for (Abba John Eudes and Mother Marija of Holy Annunciation Monastery in Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania reminded me now and then to be careful what I asked for because God would take me seriously. They were holy and wise in their early 90’s). Many sage and experienced people who have lived life long enough can tell us that to love is to suffer. After a few years of suffering, I came to realize that the good Lord graciously granted me my prayer. Not until then that I had the grace to carry my many crosses willingly and graciously. No one is spared of the cross. However, what makes the difference is how we respond to it. When we accept and embrace the cross, we unite our suffering with the Lord and grow deeper in faith. When we reject and run away from it, we suffer in vain and probably live a miserable life in loneliness. I picked the former. It is a dying-to-self experience, as it is a constant reminder of making deliberate choices throughout the day to act the way God acts, based on faith and not human feelings and mood swings. As much as it is a painful, strenuous and ceaseless effort, I have no desire of going back!  Abba John Eudes taught me that in dealing with material things, we get tired of them after awhile. But in dealing with spiritual matters, the more we go deep, the more we desire to seek. As St. Augustine stated in his Confessions: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” Pray for us, dear St Augustine.

Have you ever thought of asking the Lord for His Sacred Heart? Ask and you will receive. And make sure you mean it before you ask! May God inspire you and give you the courage to embrace it and forever be unified with Him. It has to be God’s invitation to us before we are inspired to ask so we may dare to imitate to have a heart that is immaculately sacred. Sadly, it is impossible for us to have such a heart in this life… As I understand it, this desire is rather a generous response to God’s calling to conversion, transformation, purification, … and holiness. Ultimately, love rules and is the answer to all. Not until then, we will begin to perceive who God is: LOVE!

Let us pray for a special grace so that we may love one another with His Sacred and Her Immaculate Hearts.

Pray for our intentions and effort, O HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. Amen 🙏