3rd Sunday after Pentecost 30.6.19 The Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is a great consolation to us, reinforcing
for us the essential stance that God takes towards the human race – which is
one of mercy; mercy which God desires to give, with a desire which has the intensity
of a furnace.
God not only forgives our sins; He wants to forgive;
He desires it intensely.
We know we are supposed to forgive each other, but we would
probably not describe our desire for this as a raging fire. (More likely it
will be anger that is raging!)
The idea of longing to forgive takes a bit of
grasping. It is something we can work our way towards.
Pure charity desires the good of the other person; it does
not rest with merely one’s own needs.
When Our Lord gave Himself in sacrifice for sin, He was not
doing it for His own benefit; it was a total act of giving for others.
He could see the potential joy that awaits the sinner who
repents. He considered it worthwhile to suffer Himself so that others could
have this joy and freedom.
For God this is a matter of the utmost importance. We can be
offhand about sin, not grasping how God sees it.
God cares greatly what happens to each person, far more than
the person himself. He can see the damage that sin does, and He wants to rescue
us from that.
The parable of the Lost Sheep brings out this desire on
God's part. He is joyful to retrieve one sinner, even at great effort.
Many people would shrug and say, What makes you think I am
lost?
Not everyone wants to be forgiven; not everyone is willing to
change the offending behaviour.
This does not stop the offer of Mercy coming from the Sacred
Heart. Our Lord is willing to forgive any and every offence. For His part there
is no grudge, no lingering malice.
He wants the other to come to the joy of union with God, of
purity of conscience. It is the greatest liberation.
He wants us to take the same view as regards others; that we
want the mercy of God to reach every person, and bring about not only forgiveness
but a change of heart.
Consider, for example, how in courtrooms people abuse the
convicted criminal, wishing him in hell etc. They should be wishing him in
Heaven, having repented.
Or if someone burgles our house we are grieving more for the
state of soul of the robber than of whatever property we may have lost.
The ninety-nine sheep should be hoping and praying that the
one sheep is found.
These things are challenging for us, but transformed by
contact with the furnace of God's love, our hearts can be transformed.
Our primary prayer is that each person be right with God.
This is far more demanding than just a physical rescue. We
are looking for something much deeper, the whole renewal of soul - and that is
hard work, even for God.
He will not force mercy on people so He has to appeal to
them to come along at their own speed.
Success requires that there be heartfelt sorrow for sin, and
purpose of amendment. The Sacred Heart and all the company of Heaven rejoice
when this happens.
We will rejoice more in proportion as we ourselves are
transformed by His mercy.
In the meantime we do not forget our own need of
forgiveness, and we can ensure that with a proper sense of contrition.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us!
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