19 Jun PIERCED HEART OF JESUS: The Source of Our Life. Roma
The Spirit of the Sacred Heart encompasses everything that goes beyond our willingness to be at home in His Heart. The Sacred Heart signifies feeling at home with our charism full of life, being enthusiastic, and having an open mind to be one in His Heart. In one version, St. Raphaela states that the Institute is “held” in the eyes of the Divine Heart, who acknowledges it as His work. From there, she exhorts us to pray always “with our whole hearts for this work of His to be more pleasing to Him every day, and for each and every one of its members, who are our members too, for we are all His, in the love of His Sacred Heart. Blessed be God.” (Letter of St. Raphaela Mary, 295)”
“IN THE HEART OF HIM WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED WE CONTEMPLATE MERCY” (GC XX). Nowadays, millions of individuals are attracted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus where they can contemplate it for devotion, faith, and experience the mercy it provides. In the presence of St. Raphaela Mary and Mother Pilar, we allowed ourselves to be transformed by His Heart full of joy and gratitude, and as a result, the Institute was established and still nurtured.
At XX Settembre in our Church, there is a remarkable opportunity for everyone to feel at home in the Heart of Jesus, as He welcomes us to enter and be loved and embraced by Him, for He desires us to remain close to His Heart. We are filled with joy and gratitude to God for the gift of St. Raphaela Mary and Mother Pilar, who are the pillars of our Congregation. We now strive to carry out their desires in different parts of the world and continue to bear fruit through our mission.
On the Feast of Sacred Heart of Jesus, we – the tertians, felt united as a whole Institute, similar to the universal church, due to the presence of our sisters, General Sr. Rosario and her assistant, the community of the general curia, the community of the infirmary, all provincial treasures, the community of Torricella and Castel Verda, and the people of God. In the evening, we celebrated mass at 6:00 pm, where melodious hymns in various languages were sung, including one of the Indian traditions, “Aarti.” Following the mass, the festivities continued as we shared our joy of meeting and greeting one another in our St. Joseph’s Garden.
The Lord Jesus has graciously allowed me to experience His Universal Heart, which is open wide to love and embrace all individuals. This is something I encounter daily, such as in the morning when I go to open the doors and gates of the church. At that moment, I feel like I am opening the door of Jesus’ Heart to those whom He draws to encounter Him at the daily Eucharistic table and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Before entering the Church, I speak with people in various languages such as English, Spanish, and Italian, who come to meet the Lord. This experience makes me feel at home in the Heart of Jesus, where love and mercy abound, a universal love for all.
My personal experience has grounded me to have a deeper knowledge of and stronger faith in the Lord Jesus. Through this, I have come to recognize and taste the love and self-giving nature of Jesus. This has brought me closer to Him, stirring a movement within me to follow His heart radically. The Heart of Jesus has transformed and renewed my life, and some images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus have become a vital part of my life. Therefore, I come and cling to His Heart because He accepts and loves me as I am and teaches me through my daily activities to be loving, generous, gentle, caring, and humble. As He said in (Matthew 11:28-29), “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
In my apostolate mission, I have specially experienced the Heart of Jesus through the special children I work with. I thank God for the Heart of Jesus, as His Heart encounters me during my mission, a heart which is so wide and open. These children have touched my heart, and I have grown as a result. Their hearts are tender, loving, touching, and inspiring. When I am with them, my heart is united with an open heart, receiving and sharing the Heart of Jesus among them, and I identify my heart in them. At times, their heart teaches me to be kind, patient, and loving. His Heart and mine become one with Him. It is impossible not to have an open and generous heart when in the presence of the Heart of Jesus, and impossible not to identify the quality of His Heart through these children. The Heart of Jesus has repaired and healed my vulnerable and wounded heart, giving me a special place in His Heart.
In everyday life, I encounter the Heart of Jesus through my encounters with the poor and those who suffer. Jesus comes to meet me in the present moment through various faces, especially during my work at Caritas. In each person I meet, I see the gentle Heart of Jesus and look at them with love, listening to their hearts with compassion and understanding. He desires to communicate and connect with me with much care for the people whom I serve. The Heart of Jesus is open to anyone in everyday life, whether through conversations with people, the melodious sounds of the birds, or the gentle breeze that leads me to experience His loving Heart.
Jesus allows us to encounter Him during adoration, where His pierced Heart is open and gushes with love and mercy. As we deepen our loving relationship with the Lord, let us place His Heart at the center of our actions, seeking reparation for His people so that the world may experience His healing and mercy. The Sacred Heart of Jesus continues to invite us to turn to His Heart which is the deepest root and foundation of life and to focus on the core of His Heart.
Knowing that we can plant our roots in Him and drink His life from His Heart, we also know that we are “held by Him.” His Heart is always open—a space of transformation that renews us and launches us out into the world to replicate His surrender so that we too may become hearts for the world.
“Looking to the Heart
Seeking His will
In His Hand is the Universe
Our lifes want to take part in
our world desire to Heal”
Sunita Toppo aci
