The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was universally celebrated at the beginning of last month, offering a magnificent occasion for us priests to focus once more on the close connection between the Saviour’s heart and ours.
In fact, Jesus’ opened heart is the real sign of God’s loving heart as well as thespring of every priestly call. Pope Benedict XVI elucidated the authenticity of this profound rapport during his homily delivered at the Mass marking the Sacred Heart of Jesus’ solemnity of last year.
“We are celebrating the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and in the liturgy we peer, as it were, into the heart of Jesus opened in death by the spear of the Roman soldier. Jesus’ heart was indeed opened for us and before us – and thus God’s own heart was opened. The liturgy interprets for us the language of Jesus’ heart, which tells us above all that God is the shepherd of mankind and so it reveals to us Jesus’ priesthood, which is rooted deep within his heart; so too it shows us the perennial foundation and the effective criterion of all priestly ministry, which must always be anchored in the heart of Jesus and lived out from that starting point”.
The leading trait of the priestly heart of Jesus is love. So must be his servant’s heart! But what kind of love should a priest harbour?
That type of love which Edith Stein spoke about in her famous 1930 Salzburg lecture which she delivered to the members of the Association of Catholic Academics’ meeting at their annual convention.
“Divine life is love, overflowing, undemanding love freely giving itself; love that in compassion bends down to every creature in need; love that heals the sick and awakens the dead to life; love that protects and shelters, nourishes, teaches and shapes us; love that mourns with the mourners, rejoices with the joyful, and puts itself at the service of every creature so that each creature may become what the Father wishes it to be – in a word, the love of the Divine Heart ...”
If we priests are alter Christus, we must necessarily cherish the above qualities which characterise the Divine Heart.
Let our spontaneous and heartfelt prayer echo ceaselessly our priestly solitude: “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours.
“Imprint Your Sacred Heart like a seal upon my heart in order that I may never be separated from You. Amen.”