Friday, June 19, 2020 - Sacred Heart of Jesus - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 11, 25-30 - Take my yoke upon you, become my disciples, for I am meek and humble of heart.
The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. The Heart of Jesus is so loving, compassionate and merciful towards us, since it is both the Heart of God and the Heart of Man. In addition to His perfect love, He is also compassionate and merciful. It is not man that defines the Heart of God but it is Jesus Himself who declares that He is meek and humble of heart. We trust His word because it is the truth. Not only did He reveal it, but He lived it when He was on earth. Therefore, we must follow Him by imitating Him. According to the saying, "Pinch yourself, pinch the other, if you hurt, the other will hurt too." Jesus' heart was not only pinched, but pierced and from it flowed water and blood, from which we quench our thirst for His goodness and compassion. He is the only heart capable of truly loving us.
Jesus said to us today, "Come to me, all you who labor under the burden, and I will give you rest." In addition to our individual suffering, there is this global suffering: the "Covid-19" epidemic that has killed so many people, a common and invisible enemy that causes so much devastation in so many areas. We must all bring this to Jesus, so that he may lighten it. He is aware of our sufferings, He is neither indifferent nor deaf, but He asks us to bring them to Him. But we must bear His yoke and learn from Him, according to His words, before our desires can be realized; that is, to suffer with Him in order to overcome with Him. So let us strive to imitate the Heart of Jesus and pray to Him often for peace. Thus, today, on this world day of prayer for the sanctification of priests, let us pray especially for them, that they may have a heart like Jesus, the One who chose them. Let us repeat as much as possible this beautiful prayer: "Jesus, gentle and humble of heart: make our hearts similar to yours! Amen".
