The month of June is dedicated to The Sacred Heart of Jesus as a reminder of the love that God has for us. When we look upon images of the Sacred Heart, we often see Christ pointing to His heart, a sure sign that He loves us, but only if we see His heart as open.
If I mention the name Bugs Bunny many will smile. We all know this beloved bunny, but if I was to mention Charles Jones, you may wonder why and who he is. Well, he is the one who developed the beloved character, but his own personal favourite was not Bugs, but rather Pepé Le Pew, the romantic skunk who was forever falling in love with someone. Sadly, his love was always rejected because of his smell or often just due to the fear of his potential to smell. However, that did not stop Pepe. He kept right on loving. He just refused to give up. Pepe, like Jesus always was open to love even when it was rejected. The offer would always be there.
Perhaps, like Pepe, you have been rejected. How do you, how do I, react when people reject our love? We may even ask if God loves us, even when we know in our hearts that our God is a God of mercy and compassion. Despite our prayers, our faith may not feel as strong as we thought. So, we need more reassurance and that is why Jesus came, to remind us of God’s presence and love.
Let me share a story which illustrates this beautifully. A little boy had just gotten his own room. During his first night in his new room, a violent thunderstorm broke out. The boy started screaming, “Daddy, daddy, come quick I am scared.” “Don’t worry, Bobby” his father called out from his room, “God loves you and will protect you.” The boy yelled back, “I know God loves me and will protect me. But right now, I need someone with skin on!”
That is the reason for celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart in early June. It is God coming among us with skin on. It is God revealing God’s self as one of us. It is God reminding us that even if others reject our love, God could not and would not. Scripture shows us that the human Jesus grew tired, wept with and for His friends and foes, was rejected and died in pain on the Cross and yet He always reaches out. His wounded heart open to love, willing once again to offer hope, to offer mercy, to offer love.
When you meditate and pray from your own heart, what image of Jesus speaks to you as you listen to the Sacred Heart?
- Fr. Ian Riswick, Chaplain of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood in Toronto.