In 2008, I attended a summer program in Omaha, Nebraska for seminarians, focusing on spirituality. It was one of the most impactful experiences of my life, as it was a time when I really learned not just about prayer, but how to pray in a deeper and more relational way. We had an 8-day silent retreat and there are several graces that came from that retreat that are just as vivid to me today as they were 18 years ago.
One of the images from that summer that I often go back to is that of a statue at which I would often pray. It was a statue of Jesus with His right hand pointing to His Sacred Heart. His other hand is extended as if to invite one to come to Him, to encounter the burning fire of His love overflowing from that Sacred Heart. Whether it was on the retreat I mentioned, or just walking by it during an early evening walk, I always found a sense of peace, and that image in my mind continues to offer an invitation to return to that place to reclaim that peace.
Of the various elements of traditional depictions of the Sacred Heart, I have always been drawn to the fire that emanates from the Heart of Jesus. When we go to confession, we present to Jesus our hearts that have become tarnished and cold because of our sins, but as we come into contact with the burning fire of His love, our hearts are purified and warmed up. When feeling dry in prayer, we can draw close to that Heart and we are renewed as we are reminded of His love which continues to burn for us, and to realize how He so longs to share that love with us, constantly inviting us to draw near. For this reason, I have chosen the following invocation from the Litany of the Sacred Heart for this week:
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, have mercy on us
At the beginning of the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus says to His disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” (Jn 14:1) There are no doubt many times when our hearts become troubled. It can happen as a result of something that has been done to us, such as a harsh word or a perceived slight. Sometimes we can feel overlooked and ignored. There are times when we have received some troubling news that leaves us unsettled. At other times, our hearts are troubled because of something we have done – how we have treated somebody, how we have said something insensitive, how we have given into sin. When our hearts are troubled, we can tend to turn in on ourselves, hurt, ashamed, angry, or sorrowful, trying to manage the emotions ourselves, which usually leads to our hearts being even more troubled. In a line that is key to devotion to the Sacred Heart, and one which is depicted so well in the image I recall so fondly that summer, are those offered by Jesus, perhaps to the same disciples, in Matthew’s Gospel:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Mt 11:28–29)
When are hearts are troubled, when we are burdened, instead of turning in, look up and see Jesus with His hand extended, inviting you to draw near to His heart, to experience the glowing furnace of charity for you, and may that love settle you heart and renew your peace.