Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 16th June 2023

What a wonderfully uplifting occasion was last night’s celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, an ideal way to keep the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In his homily to the young people being confirmed, Archbishop Mark spoke of another young person, Blessed Carlo Acutis, the teenager born in London of Italian parents, now buried in Assisi, who is on the road to sainthood. All were moved by the story of his life and the example of his powerful intercession.

 

​Today we keep the great feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an ancient devotion that focusses on the love and compassion of God made manifest in Christ Jesus our Lord throughout his life on earth, especially on the cross and as he walks with us in our lives today. The Gospel chosen for the feast comes from Matthew, (Mt 11: 25-30), where he invites his disciples to exchange their heavy burden with his own which is easy and light. In fact, Jesus is offering to take the weight of our sins on his shoulders and offer us in return the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation with God and our neighbour. These are his words, “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

 

​Pope Francis says of the Sacred Heart, “Do not be afraid to present to him all the intentions of our suffering humanity, its fears, its miseries. May this Heart, full of love for men, give everyone hope and trust. I invite you to discover the riches that are hidden in the Heart of Jesus, to learn to love your neighbour. We must realize that we are never before God only as individuals, but also as members of the Church and children of the one human family. This should also become visible in the way we pray for one another.” The devotion to the heart of Jesus has Christ’s unconditional love at its centre, exemplified in the blood and water which poured forth from Christ’s heart in his sacrifice on the cross.