Read an Excerpt
Healing Promises
The Essential Guide to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
By Anne Costa Franciscan Media
Copyright © 2017 Anne Costa
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63253-096-7
CHAPTER 1
The Story of His Heart
The adorable Heart of Jesus wills to establish its reign of love in every heart, so as to overthrow that of Satan. It seems to me that He so greatly desires this that He promises great rewards to those who, with good will and in good earnest, devote themselves to it, according to the means and to the light He grants them.
— St. Margaret Mary
Do you remember your first awareness or experience of feeling loved? Maybe you were a child, looking into your mother's eyes. Or perhaps you were a young adult, completely enraptured by the warmth of someone's smile. Maybe there was a teacher who communicated love, or a babysitter who made you feel special, or a sister who cared for you. Or perhaps you are someone who is still searching for love.
Even if you have never felt loved or struggled to love, being loved is an ever-present reality and a never-to-be broken promise that flows directly from the heart of God. You are loved, and as St. Augustine said, "God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love." Think about that! You are loved exclusively and completely by God. You don't have to compete for or earn God's love or be anybody different from who you are, because God is in love with you. His Word is plain: "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you" (Jeremiah 31:3).
Through the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we encounter this faithful love of God. Through our devotion to the Sacred Heart, we experience that love in a whole new way. And through the breath of his Holy Spirit, we are inspired to share it with others. In short, devotion to the Sacred Heart is our return for the unfailing love of God. As author James Kubicki clarifies, "Sacred Heart devotion isn't our devotion ... It's God's devotion to us ... because God loved us first [1 John 4:19]."
His Heart in Scripture
The first mention of an encounter with the heart of Jesus in Scripture is at the visitation. It was then that, tucked away in the womb of Mary, the newly beating heart of Jesus was recognized by his cousin John the Baptist, who leapt for joy in his own mother's womb. A human heart starts beating at eighteen days after conception, and it would have taken Mary about that amount of time to travel to Elizabeth's house after the annunciation. The reality of Jesus's heart was made known at the earliest possible moment by the very one who would announce the Good News of his coming some thirty years later with the words, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!" (Matthew 3:2).
The incredible mystery of the Incarnation is that God willed that a human heart should contain his divine love as a way to be near us and draw us into himself. As we contemplate the beautiful devotion of his heart, we plunge into the depths of the unfathomable love that God has for each one of us. The revelation of God's heart may be seen in the entire life, ministry, and death of Jesus and in the role that the Blessed Mother plays. From the very beginning, their two hearts have been entwined.
Jesus revealed his heart in his encounters with the poor, the rich, the sick, the lame, and the sinner. He reached out to the Samaritan woman at the well, one whom others shunned (see John 4). He had "compassion on the crowd" who had been with him for three days and needed food, which he then provided (Matthew 15:32–38). He wept at the tomb of Lazarus before raising him from the dead (John 11).
Then we come to the Last Supper, where Jesus shows his disciples the full nature of his heart and the depth of his love. At this first Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and every one since, Jesus pours out his heart in the Eucharistic banquet. Father Francis Larkin, who has promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart in our times, gives us a beautiful point to ponder:
When you receive Jesus in Communion, like St. John, you can rest your head on His Heart. ... Each time you participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Jesus, from His ever open Heart, pours into your heart — provided it is open and receptive — His Holy Spirit, the spirit of understanding, of wisdom, knowledge and especially love.
St. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, leaned upon the breast of Jesus, close enough to sense the beating of the Savior's heart. St. Augustine wrote that in these tender moments of closeness, St. John received "Divine Wisdom and the sublime secrets from the innermost depth of Our Lord's Heart." St. Bede the Venerable stated, "Because in Jesus' breast are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, it was fitting that the one who leaned upon his breast was the one to whom he had granted a larger gift of unique wisdom and knowledge than to the rest."
St. John went on to accompany the Blessed Mother at the foot of the cross, and there Christ gave him the blessed responsibility of caring for her. John was filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, preached with Peter, and wrote his Gospel and letters, becoming known as the apostle of love. He instructs us to this day: "In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).
The early Church embraced "the image of John reclining on Jesus' breast as a spiritual symbol of the Church itself. As John drew near to the Heart of Jesus, so the Church is called to draw near to her Lord. There the Church will learn the secrets of his heart. There the Church will find wisdom and courage."
His Heart for the Church
St. Gertrude of Saxony (1256–1302) was a mystic devoted to our Lord's Sacred Heart. The Lord revealed his heart to her many times, in different forms. In these visions, the Lord showed his heart as a "treasury in which all riches are contained and again as a harp which is played upon by the Holy Spirit. His heart was also represented as a fountain from which waters flow to refresh the souls in purgatory, strengthen those on earth and fill the blessed in heaven with incomparable delights."
St. John, the beloved disciple and evangelist, appeared to St. Gertrude, and she took the opportunity to ask him about the tender moments he shared with Jesus at the Last Supper. She was curious as to why he had not written about that encounter to further instruct the faithful. He replied:
My mission was to write for the Church, still in its infancy. ... As for the language of these blessed beats of the Heart of Jesus, it is reserved for the last ages, when the world, grown old and become cold in the love of God, will need to be warmed again by the revelation of these mysteries.
Many believe that we are in these "last ages." The revitalized interest in devotion to the Sacred Heart could be an indication of that. Instead of becoming frightened at the state the world is in, let us be encouraged and comforted. The Sacred Heart is both our shelter and our strength.
This heart was pierced for us on the cross.
When they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, "None of his bones shall be broken." And again another passage of scripture says: "They will look on the one whom they have pierced." (John 19: 33–37)
It seems that as soon as the blood and water gushed out, truth took over. John testifies to it repeatedly in this passage. Some reflections from the early Church fathers highlight the importance of this piercing as the beginning of our Catholic faith and our Church.
"There flowed from his side water and blood." Beloved, do not pass over this mystery without thought; it has yet another hidden meaning, which I will explain to you. I said that water and blood symbolized baptism and the holy Eucharist. From these two sacraments the Church is born: from baptism, "the cleansing water that gives rebirth and renewal through the Holy Spirit," and from the holy Eucharist. Since the symbols of baptism and the Eucharist flowed from his side, it was from his side that Christ fashioned the Church, as he had fashioned Eve from the side of Adam. ...
St. Augustine wrote of the wound: "There it was that the gate of life was opened, from there the sacraments of the Church flow; without these one does not enter true life."
Jesus spoke about this wonderful mystery when he conversed with the Samaritan woman at the well. "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life" (John 4:13–14).
Even after he rose from the dead, Jesus bore his wounds as a testament of his love for us. The intimate encounter between St. Thomas and Jesus is a standing invitation for all of us. Thomas proclaimed, "My Lord and my God!" When we have times of fear or struggle or doubt, Jesus desires to come to our aid, calm our fears, and show us the way to belief and trust in him.
"The wound of the body also reveals the spiritual wound," St. Bonaventure stated. "Let us look to the visible wound as the invisible wound of love!"
Heart Note
Take some time to enter into a Gospel scene that tugs on your heart. Here are some to consider:
The Visitation (Luke 1: 39–45)
The Woman at the Well (John 4:1–42)
The Last Supper (Matthew 26: 17–30 or Luke 22:7–38)
Jesus's Meeting with Thomas (John 20: 24–29)
As you read, place yourself as a central character in the account, and let Jesus speak to you. Through your prayer, reflection, and dialogue, Jesus may reveal a part of his heart that you have never known. He may even reveal a part of your own heart of which you are not aware.
Open yourself to a true "heart to heart" conversation, in which you can initiate or increase your knowledge of and devotion to the heart of Jesus. Even if you feel that nothing is happening, something truly is. Remember, all that is visible and invisible is revealed through his heart.
His Heart in the Eucharist
Father John Croiset, the Jesuit priest who gave spiritual direction to St. Margaret Mary, stated:
The devotion to the Blessed Eucharist and the devotion to the Sacred Heart are not only two sister devotions, in reality they are only one and the same devotion. They complete each other and develop each other; they blend so perfectly together that one cannot go on without the other and their union is absolute.
Fr. Larkin adds:
The Sacred Heart is the living symbol of the love that led Jesus to institute the Eucharist. ... Without devotion to the Eucharist, there isn't any true devotion to the Sacred Heart. ... In fact, we can truthfully say that the Eucharist contains the Heart of Jesus. His heart is not a picture, or a statue, but a living reality, beating out of love for us in the Blessed Sacrament.
This profound reality was expressed by St. John Chrysostom: "It is to this one source that all the Christian mysteries trace back their origin. And so when you apply your lips to this awesome cup, do it as though you drank that precious blood from the open side of Christ himself."
Jesus understands our human hearts. To help us in our belief, he has permitted Eucharistic miracles throughout the Christian era, many of which are officially approved by the Church. We are not obliged to believe in them, because they come under the category of private revelation. But they exist to encourage a deeper understanding and love for the Eucharist.
In the case of one Eucharistic miracle, modern science has been able to confirm the reality of the presence of the heart of Jesus. The Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano, Italy, occurred in 750 at the Church of St. Francis. A priest celebrating Mass was not sure he believed in the True Presence. Then, at the moment of Consecration, the Host turned to visible flesh, and the wine turned to visible blood. This was in a church full of witnesses.
Today, the flesh is still visible, and the blood has coagulated into five unequal parts, which together weigh the same as each one does separately.
Extensive scientific examination (over five hundred studies) of the two species has revealed some remarkable results:
• The flesh is real flesh consistent with the muscular tissue of a human heart, specifically the left ventricle.
• The blood is human blood of the AB type, a relatively rare type that is also found on the Shroud of Turin and is most characteristic of people of Middle Eastern descent.
• No embalming fluids or preservative agents have been detected in the samples.
• The tests also revealed that the samples of flesh are fresh and living tissue, like those of a person alive today.
The awesomeness of the Eucharistic heart is a great mystery, requiring God's grace and the gift of faith, both of which we receive in baptism. The devotion to the Sacred Heart holds the promise of an enkindled joy and awareness of this loving sacrifice that he has made for us and that is re-presented at every Mass. Let us give thanks whenever we receive him.
Carol, who has been spiritually drawn to the Sacred Heart since she was a teenager, speaks of the awesome reality of holding Jesus's heart in her hand when she goes to Communion. She explains how this translates to her daily life:
The disciples on the road to Emmaus [are an example for us]: After they recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread, and he vanishes, they exclaim, "Were not our hearts burning with love?" [see Luke 24:32]. You can almost see them scratching their foreheads. I have this line printed in big letters over the door where I go out every morning. I never want to go to bed at night without being able to answer the question with a resounding yes! Yes, my heart was burning with love!
Heart Note
Can you remember a time when you regarded, held, or consumed Jesus in the Eucharist as the fragile, precious, and priceless treasure that he is? Have you burned with love in his presence? Contemplate these words of Jesus:
Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them (John 6:53–56).
What Does This Mean for Us?
These reflections point to the fact that the foundation — of what we believe, who we are, and how we are loved and redeemed by our God — is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Blood and water continue to flow from his wounded heart, giving us the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the lifeblood and mercy for our souls through the sacraments of the Church, particularly the Eucharist.
Jesus does not wish his heart to be a mystery to us. Rather his heart is an open door; he wears it on his sleeve for us, so to speak. Jesus makes his heart completely available to us. He is meek, he is humble, and he makes himself vulnerable, as he is consumed by love for us and concern for our eternal destiny.
In turn, we are invited to offer our devotion, to have our hearts "burn within us," to offer consolation to Jesus and make reparation for all of our offenses and those of the whole world. He wants us to unite ourselves completely with the flow of love and mercy that pours forth from his heart.
Heart Note
Jesus wants to reveal his heart to us in many ways. What has he shown you about his heart thus far? What more do you want to know?
We can entrust our hearts to Jesus with confidence. After his resurrection and before his ascension, he repeatedly offered his peace. He assured his friends then, and his message remains the same for us today: "Do not let your hearts be troubled" (John 14:1).
Sacred Heart of Jesus, be our peace and safe haven of rest!
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Healing Promises by Anne Costa. Copyright © 2017 Anne Costa. Excerpted by permission of Franciscan Media.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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