A Way to Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Sacred Heart inspires our missionary activity and evangelization.
Reflect
Honoring the Sacred Heart in the world is a practice of both/and. We have interior work to do, which naturally permeates to the external, and back again.
Already this week we have examined the ways that we might conform our hearts to the Sacred Heart through imitation and prayer, animated and nurtured by God’s deep love for us.
The other half of this devotion is active: engaging in a culture of encounter, cooperating with God in our own transformation, in everything from the way we participate in Mass to street corner exchanges, and allowing God to surprise us through the love we show one another.
Neither prayer nor service can exist well in isolation. So we ask for what we do not have, and we know ourselves well enough to assess where we most need to begin.
Is intimate conversation and private prayer most comfortable for you? Ask for the opportunity to be drawn out and share this gift with another this week.
Already comfortable with encountering those on the margins with a spirit of deep love and empathy? Ask that the Sacred Heart shed light on a part of your own heart that is in need of nurturing love.
As a starting place, invite God to show up unexpectedly. And you, show up unexpectedly. Show up for a morning prayer time that is hard to commit to, show up in support of a neighbor in need, show up with a brave heart as you head into a difficult week.
As an experiment, let’s allow the fire and mercy of the Sacred Heart to animate and direct our interactions as we move forward from the Prayer Pledge and into the rest of the year. Let's see what He does when we invite His love into our hearts and allow Him to transform us.
Let Us Pray
Gracious God, You are a God who surprises. Be with us this week in a way that might show us something new about who You are, that we might love You more. Give us courage to show up in unpracticed ways. We ask this in the Name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
For Discussion
Where are you feeling called to put into practice a devotion to Jesus’ Sacred Heart this week and beyond?
When have you been surprised by something new God showed you?
In His Heart: The 2020 Prayer Pledge // Day 31 #BISblog #prayerpledge //Click to tweet
Katie Cassady is a regular contributor to the BIS blog. She is a wife and mom to three little girls in Denver, CO. Steeped in theological reflection, beekeeping and motherhood, she is appreciative of any and all wisdom she can glean from those living intentional lives of faith. Find out more about her here. Read all of Katie's posts here.
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