DAILY- HOMILY

03 June 2016, Friday

THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS

Solemnity.   White.     

Ez 34: 11 – 16 / Rom 5: 5b – 11 / Lk 15: 3 – 7

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was first celebrated in Rennes, France on 31 August 1670, through the efforts of St. John Eudes (1602 – 1680). The "great apparition" of the Sacred Heart to St. Mary Margaret Alacoque (1647 – 1690) on 16 June 1875 is the main impetus for the modern devotion to the Sacred Heart.  Officially celebrated in France by 1785, the Feast of the Sacred Heart was extended to the universal Church by Pope Pius IX in 1856.

 

1st Reading: Ez: 11 – 16

Indeed Yahweh says this:  I myself will care for my sheep and watch over them.  As the shepherd looks after his clock when he finds them scattered, so will I watch over my sheep and gather them from all the places where they were scattered in a time of cloud and fog.  I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the other countries. I will lead them to their own land and pasture them on the mountains of Israel in all the valleys and inhabited regions of the land.  I will take them to good pastures on the high mountains of Israel.  They will rest where the grazing is good and feed in lush pastures on the heights of Israel.  I myself will tend my sheep and let them rest, word of Yahweh.  I will search for the lost and lead back the strays.  I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the fat and strong will be eliminated.  I will shepherd my flock with justice.

2nd Reading: Rom 5: 5b – 11

Consider, moreover, the time that Christ died for us:  when we were still sinners and unable to do anything.  Few would accept to die for an upright person; although, for a very good person, perhaps someone would dare to die.  But see how God manifested his love for us:  while we were still sinners, Christ died for us and we have become just through his blood.  With much more reason now he will save us from any condemnation.  Once enemies, we have been reconciled with God through the death of his Son; with much more reason now we may be saved through his life.  Not only that, we feel secure in God because of Christ Jesus, our Lord, through whom we have been reconciled.

 

Gospel Reading: Lk 15: 3 - 7. 

So Jesus told them this parable, "Who among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and seek out the lost one till he finds it?  And finding it, will he not joyfully carry it home on his shoulders? Then he will call his friends and neighbors together and say: 'Celebrate with me for I have found my lost sheep.'  I tell you, just so, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine upright who do not need to repent."

Reflection

Today's Solemnity honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Since the early Church, there has been special veneration of the Heart of Jesus. In venerating the Heart of Jesus, people venerated God's love for everyone. 

The Church today invites us to reflect on what it means to live our lives in such a way that we imitate and reveal the loving heart of God to all the world.  The heart is seen as the center of a person, the place where he makes his choices which affect life and everything related to it.  Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds us that it is in the sacred heart and humanity of Jesus that we find the perfect pattern for becoming fully human ourselves.

Today's first reading speaks of God shepherding his sheep, promising to protect them from harm, saving from danger and bringing back to safety those who have gone astray.  Those hurt are cared for and healed.

The second reading shows the love of God manifested in Jesus.  The reading reminds us that God loved us so much that he sent his only begotten Son to die for us.  Jesus died on the cross because of his love for us, that we would be reconciled to God.

And it is that reconciliation we hear in the Gospel reading:  there will be more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine righteous people who had no need of repentance.  Only God who loves us would find so much joy in the repentant sinner.

The celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds us of our mission in our culture and world which are slowly becoming forgetful of God as the source of love and life.  The month of June is a special time in the Church for prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We pray that we lift up ourselves and the world to the One we could really trust.  We are assured Jesus will not disappoint us. His heart still beats with love and mercy for us and all the world.  

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Albert G. Manuel

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Ramona Chua Hwan (Nov 2, 1955 – Jun 3, 2005)

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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