A love without measure

The image of a heart has a resonance with everyone – young and old alike.  Poetically, and cross-culturally in the contemporary world of today the heart is a symbol of the human centre — our emotions, loves, passions, desires, a source and engine for life-giving actions. The heart has the capacity and potential to open us to care for all of humanity … it encapsulates our ability to reach out to others as an antidote to suffering and despair.  This resonance for Presentation people is grounded in the image of the Sacred Heart.  An image that illustrates the authentic, profound ‘love without measure’ that Jesus holds for us. Many people today still look to the Sacred Heart for the grace to respond to this ‘great Love’ wholeheartedly and without reserve.

A well-documented aspect of Nano Nagle’s spirituality is her devotion to the ‘Heart of Jesus’.  Her habitual way of acting and reacting flowered out of this devotion.

 “Looking on the heart of Jesus, Nano learned the meaning of compassion as suffering with another … entering into their lives”. (From ‘Fire on the Earth’, Raphael Consedine, pbvm, P61).

Indeed, Nano Nagle’s devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was the source of her fidelity to her mission.

In 2022, speaking about the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Francis urged Catholics to look to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a source of love and to bring Christ’s love “to the ends of the earth.”

He said: “Open yourselves to this love and take it ‘to the ends of the earth,’ witnessing to the goodness and mercy that flow from the Heart of Jesus.”

Contemplation of Jesus’ own Heart can inspire us to recognise our own potential to Love without measure – both giving and receiving.

In the Gospels, Jesus’ heart is moved with pity for the crowds (see Mt 9:36) and He tells us that He is gentle and humble of heart (Mt 11:29). The Sacred Heart of Jesus that began beating in the womb of the Mary more than 2,000 years ago still beats today because of the lived reality of the Risen Christ and His infinite desire to be in relationship with us.

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The daily morning offering is a simple prayer in which we give God our day: its prayer, work, joy and sufferings:

“O Jesus,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You all my prayers, works,
joys and sufferings
of this day for all the intentions
of Your Sacred Heart”.

An exchange ‘Heart to Heart’ each day, for all humanity.

Let us pray:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, we renew our love and loyalty to you. Keep us always close to your loving heart and to the Heart of your Mother, Mary. May we love one another, forgiving each other’s faults as you forgive our faults. Teach us how to see you in those we meet. Help us keep our love for you always strong and to express this love in our daily lives through our practical care for one another, and for those most in need.

Amen

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, thy kingdom come! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! St. Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart, pray for us! Our patron saints and guardian angels, pray for us!

See Be the Heart of my heart

And Feast of the Sacred Heart

Also Woman of compassionate heart

Note: Image detail from Stained Glass (1882) Church of the Assumption, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.