The Sacred Heart and the Priesthood
June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Fr. Fergal Cummins reflects on the devotion to the Sacred Heart and its connection to the priesthood and the Holy Eucharist.
By Fr. Fergal Cummins
“If you give all your life to the earth, the earth will give you a tomb: but if you give your life to heaven, Heaven will you a throne.” ~ St Ephrem the Syrian
The Sacred Heart is Jesus Christ whole and complete, God and Man, the Word incarnate. The Sacred Heart is God made man; it is Jesus Christ humiliated, delivered up, expiring. It is Jesus-Eucharist, indescribable victim of love, Jesus immolated on the altar, Jesus a prisoner in the Tabernacle. The Sacred Heart is divine Charity incarnate; divine love humanised. The devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist and the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ are two sister devotions. Both are so intimately united, as one calls for the other. Both are grounded in the priesthood. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the soul of all devotions; it is the devotion of Jesus’ love for His Heavenly Father and for us, His beloved children.
Jesus Christ as Eternal High priest loves all souls. Jesus’ Scared heart teaches us many virtues: holiness, justice, courage, kindness, understanding, gratitude, unselfishness, courtesy, and patience. Jesus’ Scared Heart strengths us to be recollected, reverent and ready. Acting in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, priests (through Jesus) purify souls, transform them, and raise them up to Heaven, by the power of the Father, by the wisdom of the Son and by the charity of the Holy Spirit. Working for souls is the greatest work that can exist: for it is the work of God.
Jesus in John 17:9 tells us that: “it is for them that I pray.” The priest has been given to souls, and souls are given to the priest. From this double donation, a priest grows in his devotedness, zeal, and tenderness for souls. The priest devotes himself to God’s people by uniting himself to them by giving himself entirely, by living only for them, by making everything in him serve for their good, for their salvation. To simplify his heart and life, a priest surrenders to be a celibate servant to God.
Our love of the heart of Jesus is modelled to us by His Mother Mary. Mary’s love for the Lord is a maternal love which guards, protects, purifies, consoles, and sustains. Mary inspired Jesus, instructed Him, defended Him, and blessed Him. What Mary does for Jesus, so she does for the priest. Our Lady is a loving, helpful, devoted mother to whom priests should be obedient, respectful sons, full of love. In our sorrows, we turn to our lady. In our doubts, we seek her discerning counsel, when weak, we confide to her. Our Lady always strengthens her priests who love and devote themselves to her and to her son’s Sacred Heart.
“Priesthood is the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” St John Vianney tells us. The whole of Christ lives in the priest. The priest is never more clothed with God, never more truly Jesus, than when he pardons and absolves, for: “the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
Jesus in his Sacred Heart invites us to share in his divine life, for Jesus came to convert sinners, to relieve suffering and to sanctify souls. In 2009 Pope Benedict XVI said: “let us pause to contemplate the pierced heart of the crucified one.”
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything that you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23).
Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine, Amen