The feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Heart of Christ is a powerful symbol for many Christians and not just Catholics. It helps us to understand the mystery of God’s love and what it entails, at least in part. For in the Incarnation, God is speaking to us in ways that we understand. In becoming flesh he shows us what we are called to become, fully human, not bound and enslaved by hatred, fear, resentment and bitterness. An often default positions for mankind. The Heart of Christ had no defense against our lashing out at him from our places of darkness and self absorption.
Love as shown by Christ Jesus embraces life without seeking to escape its reality, which is what sin is. He saw and loved so deeply that he understood all, like the Father in the Parable of the Prodigal understood his son. Who can understand love that is always ‘Yes’ even amidst our ‘No’s’. We all have a dance with the Infinite, some based on love, others on anger and fear and then there is the dance of indifference. Yet within each type of dance grace is at work hopefully bringing us all one day into the arms of our creator.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
Holy Spirit Monastery
