Just a few words
Let me begin by saying that these more spiritual reflective posts, like this one, are more for me than anyone else. I don’t mean to preach. I simply want to share the stirrings of my heart in case they may be of inspiration for someone in need.
There is such comfort in being reminded of God’s great mercy for me. He has always been faithful. He has been patient, kind, gentle, always loving and forgiving. In the busy-ness of day to day life I often take His love for granted, and sometimes it takes a little hardship to remind me again where my true rock is.
I also find that in reflecting on the suffering of those around me, it helps me to focus more on the needs of others than my own, to feel empathy, and gratitude, and ultimately leads me find my place and who I am before God in true humility. It moves me to choose love and teaches me to look at my own life with more perspective. It is then I realized that I am so incredibly blessed.
Where is Love in Suffering?
The other night, as I lay awake waiting for sleep to wash over me, I thought about life, about suffering and pain that never seemed too far away from me and those around me. Every single day there’s someone out there who is heartbroken, someone who has to bury their loved one, someone who is homeless and shivering in the cold, some child going hungry after days without food or clean water. Of the 360,000 babies being born every day, how many parents leave the hospital with heavy hearts and empty arms? What about our modern day martyrs and the many families who live in fear due of persecution. The list is goes on. I thought about how even the people closest to me sometimes fail me and how I could not rest my heart in anything of this world. It left me very, very sad.
I asked Jesus, Lord, what is the solution to all this? Do you not know what this suffering is like? Why?! I then shed tears as I heard Him say, “My Child, more than you can ever know.”
True Love Calls For Change
If these things hurt me, how much it must hurt my Jesus. What pangs of pain he must feel in His most Sacred Heart. Did He not die for all these sins? Did He not feel the weight of all this suffering and pain in His Passion? More than I can ever know. He, who knows each person intimately and died for each of us by name, He knows, He suffers, but He continues to choose love. When I suffer, do I choose to love or do I choose to shut love out?
What moves me most about the Sacred Heart is the boundless mercy you can find there. His love is unlimited. There is nothing, NOTHING you can do to make Him stop loving you. He is the ultimate Lover. The ultimate Romantic. The ultimate Friend and Brother. He is always faithful. He is always there, REALLY present in the Eucharist. He is always here for me.
Suffering my old friend, I try to escape you but you are never far.
In of yourself you are bitter and painful; insufferable.
But united to the sweet love of Jesus and his cross which is light,
you are a reminder of our earthly journey,
an opportunity for love and growth, and a means to merit Heaven.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
-Matthew 11:28-30
“Since love makes lovers one in likeness, if we love, let us model our lives on His.” -St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Love: the Sunshine to the Flower of Gratitude
However when I reflect upon His love for me, my heart brims with gratitude. What can I do to help console His loving but wounded Heart? I have so little to offer but what I have I want to give freely and wholly. I am fair from perfect but I realize that’s not what He wants. He is perfection. What He wants from me is to freely choose Him, to freely love Him the way that only I can. So that’s what I want to do. No doubt many times I will forget and fail, but it’s the fight He loves, and I pray that He will give me gift of never giving up when it comes to choosing Him over me.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Prayers
I found this to be such a beautiful prayer of St. Padre Pio to the Sacred Heart. It is full of trust and confidence in His love. Below is the novena form I prayed to prepare for to the feast day of the Sacred Heart.
O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.”
Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here)
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be to the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here)
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be to the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here)
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be to the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.
Amen.
(Find the Original Here)