The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
First Reading - Ezekiel 34:11-16
Second Reading - Romans 5:5-11
Gospel - Luke 15:3-7
In the first reading from the prophet Ezekiel, God says, “I myself will shepherd my sheep.” This promise is not vague or abstract. It is fulfilled in the person of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, whose heart is moved with compassion. The reading assures us that God seeks the lost, binds up the injured, strengthens the weak, and gives rest to the weary. And this is not merely poetic—it is personal. He does it for each one of us. The Sacred Heart is the heart of a Shepherd who knows His sheep by name and never gives up on even one.
In the second reading, St. Paul tells us something staggering: “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” The Sacred Heart of Jesus is not a reward for the righteous, but a refuge for the sinner. His love is not reactive—it does not wait for us to be good before He loves us. His love is proactive, given freely and fully even when we are undeserving. That is why the Sacred Heart is a heart pierced on the cross—wounded by our sin, yet still pouring out mercy.
The Gospel of Luke draws this image closer to our everyday experience. Jesus speaks of a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep in order to search for one that is lost. This is not a logical calculation; it is the logic of love. The Sacred Heart does not count costs. It seeks, it carries, and it rejoices. The joy of heaven, Jesus tells us, is in finding what was lost. God does not write off anyone. He searches, not to punish, but to restore.
Dear friends, the Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds us of how deeply we are loved and how much we matter to God. When we feel forgotten, broken, or ashamed, this feast reminds us: there is a heart that beats for us, that suffers with us, that never grows tired of forgiving us.
But this feast is also a calling. If we are loved in such a radical and personal way, then we are also called to imitate this love—to have hearts that are not closed off, indifferent, or cold, but open, tender, and courageous like His. The world desperately needs hearts that mirror Christ’s: hearts that welcome, heal, forgive, and serve.
So let us today draw near to the Sacred Heart—not just to admire it, but to be transformed by it. Let us ask Jesus to make our hearts more like His: meek, merciful, and full of love.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, make our hearts like yours.
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