Dr. Jeanette Pinto –
What a sad chaotic and demoralized world we live in; all we need is God’s overflowing, boundless love and mercy. The human heart has long been a symbol of love. It is the source of all human activity – intellectual, emotional and spiritual. It symbolizes the center of things, as the heart of a relationship, the heart of a city, or the nature of a person as having a good heart. The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart, and the feast falls on a Friday, 19 days after Pentecost. The solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus recalls Christ’s magnanimous love for all of humanity.
Amidst the carnage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s ruthless invasion of the country, 7. 5 million children have been brutally killed and thousands of others left in search of safety. Everywhere there is chaos, fear, danger and mothers are terrified for their children. In a TV interview one mother says “Its hard to leave Ukraine, but what to do, we want to take care of our children.”
On various TV channels, one views pictures of the distress and trauma of mothers clinging to their crying babies and little children, confused, dragging luggage, stumbling into the local train wondering What? When? Where? How will we make it to another country? The newsprint media is cluttered with pictures of women, agony written on their faces; the emotional pain is palpable. Streams of war-weary women, mothers who have lost their children in the crowds at the border, are desperately trying to retrieve them. They are going crazy with fear, worry, anxiety and tension.
Amidst the horrible gloom, one news video struck me as incredible. In a corner of the railway station of the Polish town of Przemysl, a woman is seen delving into her tote bag, desperately searching for something. She can’t find what she’s looking for. She looks a wreck; dishevelled hair, tears streaming down her cheeks, blank stares paralysed by fear. Seconds later she makes another attempt at ruffling through and peering into the bag. Suddenly, a sigh of relief! she finds her treasure – a small framed picture of the Sacred Heart with the words, “Jesus, I trust in Thee.” She had grabbed it among the few essential things and hurriedly shoved them into her bag before leaving her home in Ukraine. She knelt, kissed the picture, held it close to her breast, repeatedly crying aloud, “Jesus! Jesus! help me find my baby Jesus.”
Shockingly, almost in answer to her prayer, the cry of Mama! Mama! rent the air. She stood up looking around in numb disbelief, screamed “Ivana, Ivana.” Everyone around thought her to be crazy. In a motley crowd about 30 feet away stood a Polish border police officer leading 5 children to the rest room. The woman rushed and clung to her 4-year-old daughter Ivana. Everyone was aghast at the sight. She cried bitterly and told the police officer, “Being with my child is my only wish.” There was a sudden madness in the air, clapping, laughter, screaming, and unimaginable sharing of joy in the crowd. The meeting of mother and child under these circumstances was amazing, unbelievable, a miracle indeed!
Lost in this striking scene, my thoughts took me back to the framed picture of the Sacred Heart she held. Truly the overflowing love and divine mercy of Jesus is immeasurable. He had responded to the faith and cries of this prayerful distraught mother. It was awesome!
Devotion to the Sacred Heart took centuries to become a universal celebration. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had multiple visions of the Sacred Heart between 1673 and 1675, but it wasn’t until 90 years later in 1765 that the feast was officially celebrated in France. Later in 1856 Pope Pius IX made the Feast of the Sacred Heart a universal celebration. Congregations, states, families and groups are consecrated to the Sacred Heart. In 1873, President Gabriel Garcia Moreno issued a petition that led to Ecuador becoming the first country consecrated to the Sacred Heart. What a blessing!
It is believed that Jesus made 12 promises to those who honour the Sacred Heart to Margaret Mary Alacoque. They are:
- ‘I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life;
- Establish peace in their families;
- Comfort them in their trials
- Be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death.
5.Shed abundant blessings on all their undertakings. - Sinners will find in my heart an infinite ocean of mercy.
7.Lukewarm souls will become fervent.
8.Fervent souls will rapidly grow in holiness and perfection. - I will bless every place where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
10.Will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11.The names of those who promote this devotion will be written in My Heart, never to be blotted out. - I promise thee, in the excessive mercy of My Heart, that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.’ That’s the magnanimous love of the Sacred Heart.
‘May the Sacred Heart of Jesus by praised, adored glorified, and loved throughout the whole world now and forever.’
Dr. Jeanette is former Principal of Sophia College, member of Human Life Committee and a parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Church, Chembur – Mumbai