Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
I believe, O Lord, but strengthen my faith,
Heart of Jesus, I love Thee,
but increase my love.
Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee,
but give greater vigor to my confidence.
Heart of Jesus, I give my heart to Thee,
but so enclose it in Thee that it may never be separated from Thee.
Heart of Jesus, I am all Thine,
but take care of my promise so that I may be able
to put it in practice even unto the complete sacrifice of my life.
-Blessed Miguel Pro
Reflect
I’m a checklist gal. I love the satisfaction of making a list, methodically crossing things off. And yes, I am one of those people that adds an item to my list that I’ve already completed, just so I can check it off.
Here’s what I’m learning when it comes to the Christian life, though: there is no checklist. You never “arrive” at holiness. There is no checklist for drawing closer to Jesus; your faith is a work in progress until you breathe your last and are, hopefully and mercifully, received into the arms of Jesus.
That is hard for me.
I want to check off a list of virtues.
- Humble: check.
- Joyful: check.
- Grateful: check.
I want to check off a list of devotions I think I ought to have as an adult Catholic woman.
- Devotion to Mary: check.
- Devotion to the Sacred Heart: check.
- Devotion to a favorite Saint: check.
Sisters, that’s not how it works. And especially not when it comes to knowing, understanding, and drawing close to the Heart of Jesus. This prayer reminds me of that truth so poignantly. For as long as we are alive, there will always be room to grow. There will always be more to discover about Jesus and the depths of His mercy. There will always be more to understand about His Heart and the ways that He loves us.
I love this prayer because it reminds us of our humanity, as well as the divinity of Christ. We are humans who fall short, He is our Risen Savior who never will. Our hearts are fickle, His is steady. We struggle with the idea of laying down our life for love of God and neighbor, He held nothing back as He hung on the Cross.
This prayer holds so much hope, hope that we will never exhaust what’s available to us from the Heart of Jesus. There is more love, mercy, grace, and peace flowing from Jesus’ Heart than we can possibly comprehend. We can seek solace in His Sacred Heart as often as we need, and know that He will never leave, fail, or forsake us. And that, sisters, is very good news.
Let Us Pray
Jesus, teach us to seek solace in Your Heart alone. Help us to find our rest, peace, and strength in Your precious hHart, that we may live in the world but not of it, and by our lives lead others back to You.
For Discussion
How can you devote yourself more to the Heart of Jesus on this day?
What areas of your life need to be brought closer to Jesus' Heart?
In His Heart: The 2020 Prayer Pledge // Day 18 #BISblog #prayerpledge //Click to tweet
Valerie Keinsley is a wife and mama living in central Indiana. She loves WWII novels, decaf chai lattes, and trying to keep houseplants alive. She is striving to find and name beauty in the midst of the mundane, and loves to share her “good lists” on Instagram. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Valerie's posts here.
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