The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Today was the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Fr. Michael explained to us in his homily that today is a good day to ask Jesus for what we need or want. Not that we will get it, but a very good day to ask.

Two important considerations of this beautiful Feast day.

1) People often do not believe in Jesus's profound love for us. We can ask Him to give us the graces and Love that other people refuse from Jesus. 

Jesus's heart is the source of all consolation; all people in heaven are dying for the heart of Jesus. His love is raging for us. He wants us to believe in his love for us.

2) Jesus calls us for reparation for our lack of Love. We often reproach Jesus for taking things away from us (ie. you took my daughter away from me, etc). His heart is bruised from our reproaches; from our refusal of His love for us. 

Some people look down upon the Eucharist, and or receive Communion unworthily.

St. Therese Lisieux said I will take all the Love that others reject. Jesus, give me the love that is rejected by others. 

Fr. Michael suggested that we say the Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus every day. What a beautiful way to pray to the Sacred Heart.

Praying for the dying

Before our friend Jack died, I spent a lot of time praying for him. I would wake in the middle of the night, and I would pray. During the day whenever I thought of Jack, I prayed. I offered up Masses for him.

I was worried for his soul. Jack was raised a Catholic but was not a practicing Catholic in any way.

About 10 days before he died I asked my spiritual director, a priest, to visit Jack. They had a good talk. Shortly before he died Jack received the Sacrament of the sick.

I prayed at his bedside as he lay dying. I asked my sisters to pray for Jack as well. Sort of like a little prayer committee to get Jack to Heaven.

A funny thing happened to me during this time. I felt good about this praying I was doing. Way more praying than usual. It made me feel at peace, like I was doing something concrete for Jack--when there is so little one can do for another person who is dying of a terminal illness.

After Jack died, I wasn't praying as much. The urgency was gone. And I missed the feeling of peace that had become a part of me as a result of this prayer.

Recently I read The Trial of Faith of Saint Therese of Lisieux. St Therese felt it was her vocation to pray and suffer for souls who had lost their faith. I have also read St. Faustina's diary, another amazing story of a soul close to God. Faustina also prayed for souls.

Putting all this together I knew that I too could pray for souls like these two great saints. I could offer up prayers whenever I thought about it, so that souls who are dying could make it to Heaven. Especially those souls who have nobody to pray for them. Like Jack.

And then it hit me. Jack probably did have others praying for him too. And they would be those other souls, who also felt it was their calling to pray for souls that nobody prayed for. And now Jack can pray for all us here as well.

The Communion of Saints. Awesome.