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Heart Made New
While Jesus’ Most Sacred Heart was physically pierced and bled for love of us by the lance of the soldier, Mary’s Immaculate Heart was similarly pierced by a sword as she pondered and kept all things in her heart. It is the blood of the Sacred Heart that washes us, cleanses us, and makes our hearts new, and it is the Immaculate Heart that teaches us how to follow and love Jesus. Read the full reflection for more.
“So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.”2 Cor. 5:17
Yesterday we celebrated the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and today we celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary. While Jesus’ heart was physically pierced for love of us, Mary’s heart was spiritually and emotionally pierced for love of us. Mary was told that a sword will pierce [her heart] “so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35). Imagine what Mary’s heart went through — joy at the birth of Jesus, worry at Herod’s efforts to kill Jesus, concern when Jesus went missing, relief when Jesus was found in the Temple, sadness and worry when Jesus left her side to preach and heal, anguish when Jesus was falsely accused, heartbroken when Jesus was physically abused, shattered as nails were driven into Jesus’ hands and feet, pain as Jesus hung on the Cross, sorrow as she held Jesus’ dead body in her arms, hope and joy as Jesus appeared after His Resurrection. All that Mary’s heart experienced and felt was in connection to Jesus. Mary’s heart was united with Jesus’ heart.
Of any human beings ever lived, I think it is safe to say that Mary knew Jesus best. All that Jesus suffered, Mary suffered too, but in a different way. Mary met all the conditions of discipleship — she denied herself (she lived for Jesus), she picked up her cross (look at the above paragraph), and she followed Jesus everyday. Mary is the first and greatest disciple of Jesus, and she serves as a model for us. When we wonder how we can be a better disciple, all we have to do is look to and at Mary — she pondered and “kept all these things in her heart” (see Luke 2:51). Mary joined her heart to Jesus, even as it was pierced. We too must do the same because it was Jesus’ pierced heart that gave us life.
In Jesus, our hearts have been made new. By joining our hearts to Mary’s and Jesus’, our hearts will no longer beat for ourselves and for our own good, but for Jesus and for our brothers and sisters and their good — the truest meaning of love. When we allow our hearts to be made new by the Sacred Heart of Jesus and moved and taught by the Immaculate Heart of Mary we will be able to follow the Lord unreservedly, leading us to live fully and freely, and as a result, to love as Jesus has loved us.
Overwhelmed Heart
“My heart is overwhelmed.” Perhaps if it were us who had said this, it would be because something was weighing on our hearts and anxiety and stress have overcome us. But if God said this — and He did and does — it means something very different. Today we celebrate the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the heart that was pierced for love of us. Jesus’ heart was and is overwhelmed not because of the weight of our sins. If not that, then what?
“My heart is overwhelmed,
my pity is stirred.”Hos. 11:8b
Today in the Church we celebrate the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On the Cross Jesus’ side and heart was pierced for love of us. Out of his pierced side and heart flowed water and blood, the waters of baptism, and the blood that nourishes and sustains us, giving birth to the Church. With His pierced and sacred heart, Jesus understands the depth of human pain and suffering. And He draws all people, those who were chosen by the Lord, to Himself, to rest in the embrace of His Sacred Heart. We have been chosen because the Lord has set His heart on us, and it is because He loved us that He sent His Son, whose heart was pierced and from that heart came indescribable healing. In His heart is unfathomable love, boundless mercy, infinite compassion, and unimaginable peace.
The pierced became the sacred. The wounded became the healing. Our pains and sorrows too can become joy and peace, if only we rest in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. You have been chosen. You are chosen for love, peace, joy, and hope. Will you choose to be called His today? What is causing you anxiety or fear today? Look upon the Lord and His pierced side and heart, and know that He loves you and that His heart beats and bleeds for love of you. His heart is overwhelmed, not because of the weight of your worries or sins, but because there is so much He wants to give to you. His heart is overwhelmed with love and mercy, and He wants to wash you with it. Let Him.
Unveiled and Personal
Some may think and feel that God is very distant and far away, and perhaps somewhere in the sky, beyond the clouds and outer space. But in reality God is much closer to us. So close that He became one of us.
“To this day, whenever Moses is read,
a veil lies over the hearts of the children of Israel,
but whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed.”2 Cor. 3:15
Many people might think and say that God exists but is very far away, maybe in the sky and very distant from them. But nothing could be further from the truth. The veil has been removed. Adam walked with God. God spoke with Abraham. God revealed His name to Moses. God promised David that He will treat his son as His son. And in the fullness of time, God became man and sent His only begotten Son into the world. How much closer can God get? Closer. He became food for us.
We have a personal God, a relational God. Our God draws close to us so that we may draw close to Him. God is not some figure in the clouds to uses us as puppets in His game of life. Our God is the God who breathed the very breath of life in man and who became man Himself and dwelt among us. Our God died for us and gave us His body as nourishment. God is never far from us. Whenever we call on the Lord, He is right there next to us. He is not behind a cloud or veil, He is right in front of us. He is right in your heart. All you need to do is turn to Him.