In the rhythm of the Church’s year, each month carries its own particular grace. June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and as the days lengthen and summer arrives, we are invited to turn our gaze to the very heart of Christ.
The Sacred Heart is one of the most beloved images in the Catholic tradition. It shows the heart of Jesus aflame, pierced, and crowned with thorns. Every detail speaks: the flame of a love that never cools, the wound opened on the Cross, the thorns of all that love was willing to bear for us. It is not a sentimental picture. It is the Gospel held in a single image, the depth of Christ’s love, and the price He paid for it.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart has a long history in the Church, and its feast each June calls the faithful to do something very simple: to reflect on, and to honour, the love and mercy of Jesus. Here is a love that does not measure, does not tire, and does not turn away, a heart always open to us, however far we may have wandered.
This month, you might honour the Sacred Heart in small ways: a moment before the image when you visit church, a quiet act of consecration, or the following prayer at this season:
Dearest Father, as we near the end of June, the month of the Sacred Heart of Your Son, help us all to entrust our hopes and fears, our daily endeavours, our families and friends, all parishioners and clergy of our parish, to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Keep us all close by Your side. Amen.
May the Heart of Jesus, be loved by all.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
