Today, Friday June 11 2021 the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is a wonderful time to reflect on the gift of the healing love pouring forth from the wound seen in the Gospel of St. John, “One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.” (Jn 19-34)
As we continue to meditate on St. Joseph during this year today we are reminded, like all of us through the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we are “Confirmed in Grace.” Archbishop M. de Langalerie reminds us that in a world full of sin and disordered passions each of us is invited into a renewal of life through the grace poured out on us through our relationship with God through the mercy flowing out of the heart of Jesus.

Each day in our lives we are challenged to see gratitude, blessing and abundance in our Heavenly Father’s gift of life shared through creation. It is a reminder of the power of the blessings of God seen in the Beatitudes offered to us by Our Lord Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel. (Mt 5:1-12) where we are invited to enter into the blessedness of sacrificial love. In “The Month of St. Joseph” we hear, “His share of family inheritance during his existence on earth was poverty, exile, persecution, and the Beatitudes of the Gospel. Do we understand and appreciate the blessings of the new law of love? Have we tasted of happiness purchased by them? Are we circumcised in heart so as to joyfully endure poverty and suffering and find therein that holy, inexpressible, hidden sweetness praised by the infallible Word of Almighty God?” (p 39-40)
Too many times in our lives we focus on the negative, the hurtful and the pain and suffering we endure, yet, St. Joseph in his life reminds us that when we are focused on God’s gift of life then we are able move into a different vision of the world where we become healing ministers and are healed by the Divine Physician Jesus Christ.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Mt 5:8) This is the gift St. Joseph sought each day, along with the other Beatitudes, the pureness of heart, united to his beloved spouse Mary, in caring for Jesus. It is seeing each other in the blessedness in which we are all created in the image of our Father in heaven. It is by this unity we can strive to open our heart to be consumed by Divine Love.

“He derived an abundance of precious graces from his constant relations with Mary and with Jesus Christ, the source and giver of all graces, and the mediator between God and man. St. Joseph was not elated by these many mysterious favors. He faithfully cooperated with them, thus meriting an increase of grace.” (p 41)
Being united to Jesus is recognizing Mary as Mother of God…Seeing the presence of God in our cooperation with divine grace.
The prayer below is a prayer that I have prayed daily for over 20 years in consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. When we invite him into our heart, like St. Joseph did through his unity with him as his foster father, then we truly experience the life giving gift of love and are confirmed in grace.

God Bless
Fr. Mark

Merciful Jesus, I consecrate myself today and always to Your Most Sacred Heart. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus I implore, that I may ever love You more and more. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You! Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Your love for me. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like your heart. Amen