Live+Jesus!
Our Ninety-Ninth Annual Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus began on June 4 with Father Joseph Mominee as celebrant for the morning and evening Masses. For the nine days preparing for the feast of the Sacred Heart, during the homilies at each Mass, Father preached to us according to a simple plan: through the Mass readings, he would discover for us a secret of Jesus’ Heart that would be revealed by persons who best knew those secrets, namely the saints. Here are a few of the sisters’ recollections from these homilies.
The Secrets of Jesus’ Heart
Day 1
Father said the readings for Mass were very fitting to begin the Novena. From the Gospel of St. Mark, “Which is the first of all commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Jesus asks for our whole heart but He gave His whole Heart to us first on the cross and He gives His whole Heart every time we receive Holy Communion. Father referred to St. Margaret Mary’s words after He appeared to her and showed her His Heart. She said after reposing on His Heart: “He disclosed to me the marvels of His Love and the inexplicable secrets of His Sacred Heart.” During the Novena, Father planned to focus on the “secrets of Jesus’ heart” and how certain saints revealed them to us in their lives.
At evening Mass, Father chose Mary as the first saint revealing a secret of Jesus’ heart. Of all the things she could have said in response to the Angel Gabriel, Mary chose “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.” She was God’s humble servant. She surrendered her whole life to Him. She gave all. And her humility drew Him into her womb. The first secret of Jesus’ heart is humility.
Day 2
At morning Mass, Father talked about a secret of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as revealed by St. Boniface. He drew from the Responsorial Psalm (119) from today’s Mass “permanence is your word’s chief trait…” Father talked about the “permanence” of Jesus’ love for us. His love comes to us with resoluteness, yet He is not contriving. He doesn’t try to coerce our love, but His love is permanent, everlasting, steadfast, unrelenting. Boniface knew this. He went on mission to Germany to preach the gospel. Despite discouragement, he continued to offer these people the truth. One of the most famous incidents of his mission was when Boniface boldly put an ax to the sacred oak tree where they offered human sacrifices. When the oak was cut down and Boniface remained unpunished by the pagan god, Boniface began to win them over. But Boniface was also obedient and docile. At the death of Pope Gregory II who had commissioned him, Boniface wrote to the newly-elected Pope Gregory III, saying he would submit to his desires for him – whether to continue his mission in Germany or not. With the pope’s approval, he continued: resolved, steadfast, permanent in his mission… until his martyrdom. St. Boniface knew one secret of the Heart of Jesus: resoluteness — with docility, but never force.
At evening Mass, Father chose another verse from the Responsorial Psalm: “Those who love your law have great peace, and for them there is no stumbling block.” The saint chosen to reveal the secret of Jesus’ Heart expressed by this saying was a Norwegian priest and printer, Father Titus Brandsma. His publications spoke the truth and opposed the Nazi regime. For this he was arrested and sent to Dachau. Because he was very ill at his arrival there, he was to be exterminated immediately. When the nurse came to give him the lethal injection, he asked her to pray for him after he died. She replied, “I don’t know how to pray. I am an atheist.” Father Brandsma gave her his rosary and told her how to finger the beads and say “pray for us sinners” on each one. The nurse laughed and gave him the fatal dose. Years later, this same nurse, now a convert to Catholicism, told the story of the final moments of Titus’ life in testimony for his canonization. There are no obstacles to the love of Jesus’ heart. Jesus’ Heart is a pierced heart. When all seemed lost, and His Heart was thrust through, the world was redeemed. When all seemed lost for Titus Brandsma, he reached out in love and faith, and with his final breath invited Jesus into someone’s heart. Truly, he knew the secret of Jesus’ Heart: there are no obstacles to His love — only opportunities.
Day 3
In today’s Gospel, Jesus shows the poor widow putting two small coins in the treasury: “she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” Jesus recognizes the totality of her gift and its great worth. His Heart is deeply touched when we give from our poverty. He doesn’t want us to be discouraged if we are poor and don’t have anything to give Him. He wants only our heart. St. Thérèse of Lisieux, in her little way, discovered this secret of accepting her poverty and trusting in God’s love and mercy. When her sister wrote to her complaining that she did not have her sister’s great desires to do great things for God like being a martyr or a missionary, Thérèse wrote that God sees our littleness and our weaknesses. He is deeply touched if we don’t have anything to give Him, but also sees our willingness to give all to Him out of love. He wants our heart. Confidence in God’s love makes little things done with love equal to great things. “It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love,” she wrote. The secret is of Jesus’ Heart that Thérèse knew so well was that we must embrace our littleness and place all our confidence in Jesus’ merciful love for us.
Again, in the evening, it is St. Thérèse of Lisieux who uncovers another secret of Jesus’ Heart. Thérèse writes to a young seminarian who tells her that because he did not lead a good life before seminary, he feels unworthy to be a priest. Thérèse writes back, insisting that he does not understand God’s heart. She explains this in a parable about two naughty children. The first runs away and hides from his father, out of fear. The other runs to his father and wraps his arms around his neck, telling him he is sorry and to punish him… by giving him a kiss! Which child is forgiven? It is the latter of course. Thérèse tells Maurice that he does not understand God’s heart. He accepts us as we are with all our weaknesses and wants only our love. Her secret: “Take God by the heart!”
Day 4
Happy Solemnity of Corpus Christi! On this day, John’s gospel proclaims Jesus as “the living bread that came down from heaven”. Jesus comes down to us in a small, white host, so that we may consume Him. In his homily, Father shared another secret of Jesus’ Heart – His hiddenness. His glory is concealed in each Sacred Host. The saint who well-understood this secret was St. Francisco Marto, one of the seers of Fatima, who called Our Lord the “Hidden Jesus”. Father shared the story that one day Francisco and his sister Jacinta were walking to school and Francisco said to Jacinta to go ahead of him to school. He wanted to stay in the church they were passing so that he could visit the Hidden Jesus and keep Him company. He had learned from the Blessed Mother that he was soon going to die so going to school was not of much importance to him. Nine-year-old Francisco knew well this mysterious secret of Jesus’s Heart: in His hiddenness is concealed His glory.
At evening Mass, Father chose St. Jacinta Marto to tell us another secret of Jesus’ Heart. During one of the apparitions, the Blessed Mother asked Jacinta if she would be willing to pray and make sacrifices for the conversion of Russia. Jacinta agreed. She did not know that Russia was a country. She thought “Russia” was the name of a woman. Jacinta prayed and sacrificed for this “poor sinner” as she did for so many others. Jacinta understood how to look upon sinners as people who are sick: with mercy and compassion. This is another secret of Jesus’ Heart. She and her brother died of the Spanish influenza at a very young age. She died alone, offering all for sinners, knowing that she was a sinner, too. Young Jacinta lived and died this secret of Jesus’ Heart: mercy and compassion for sinners.
Day 5
Father revealed another secret of the Heart of Jesus today. He brought to mind the crown of thorns surrounding Jesus’ Heart seen in its images. He invited us to think of the crown of thorns around the Sacred Heart as a wedding ring. He said the Heart of Jesus invites us to share our sufferings with Him. Jesus does not want us to suffer alone. There will be suffering and He wants us to draw closer to Him and unite our sufferings with His. Father talked about the martyr, St. John Fisher who was the only bishop in England who did not sign King Henry VIII’s Oath of Supremacy in which the king declared himself the head of the Church in England. For this, he was sent to the tower of London. On the morning of his execution, he asked his servant to bring him his best clothing. When the servant wondered at such a request on such a day, John Fisher replied, “This is my wedding day!” John Fisher teaches us another secret of Jesus’ Heart: to suffer with the Sacred Heart of Jesus unites us to Him. The crown of thorns around Jesus’ Heart is our wedding ring!
The Gospel for the evening Mass was Matthew’s account of Jesus teaching the Beatitudes. The beatitudes teach us that true happiness comes paradoxically. While the world tells us that happiness comes from being in control and doing what we want, Jesus tells us that we will find happiness, not in control, but in surrender to God. “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” The “saint” Father chose for the homily of the evening Mass has been declared a blessed: Jerzy Popieluszko, a simple Polish priest martyred by the Communist Government. He was the chaplain for the Solidarity Workers’ Movement and spoke the truth despite many threats on his life. On the day of his death, he had preached to a small number of the faithful on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Abducted, tortured, and martyred, Jerzy reveals to us a secret of Jesus’ Heart: true freedom lies in our surrender to the truth.
Day 6
In the First Reading at Mass, Elijah the prophet has been told by the Lord to seek out the widow of Zarephath who has been designated to provide for him. He invites her to give him “a small cupful of water” and “to bring along a bit of bread.” The problem is that during this time of famine, the widow has “only a handful of flour” and “a little oil.” She is collecting sticks to bake this last bit of bread for herself and her son and concludes that “when we have eaten it, we shall die.” Despite all appearances, she follows the bidding of the prophet who promises her that “the jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth.” The widow does not solve her problem on her own initiative but is receptive to the Lord’s invitation and rewarded by the fulfillment of the prophet’s promise. Father chose St. Louis, King of France, as one who discovered this secret of Jesus’ Heart. The king’s holiness shone in a beautiful letter to his son counseling him “to die rather than to commit a single mortal sin.” But Jesus did not want the saint and king to depend on his own holiness and Louis heard God tell him in prayer, “You want to pray like a holy person and I want you to pray as a beggar.” The lesson that both the widow and St. Louis teach us about Jesus’ Heart is that Jesus wants us to be receptive and respond to his love.
In the evening, Father continued this lesson in his homily. Again, it is Thérèse of Lisieux who uncovers the secrets of Jesus’ Heart. Thérèse writes to her cousin who has scruples and fears that she has committed a mortal sin. Thérèse knows her cousin and her heartfelt love for Jesus. She assures her that she would never offend God so seriously. She writes: “Lack of trust hurts Jesus.” The Lord desires to draw us more and more to trust in Him – that is our only joy. Father said something that touched one of the sisters deeply that she wanted to share. He said, “Jesus, in His mercy, will never allow us to rely on ourselves. He wants us to trust Him always and He will continue to provide opportunities to trust Him, yet, He will never leave us alone or allow it to happen that we would have to rely on ourselves.” Never! This secret of Jesus’ Heart–that He wants us to trust Him, and His solutions, and His initiatives (rather than our own) — is one we will never forget.
Day 7
In today’s Gospel, Jesus said to His disciples “but whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” In the litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we pray “Heart of Jesus, obedient to death, have mercy on us.” Who understood this secret of obedience, but St. Joseph, his foster father. When he was visited by the Angel Gabriel, he promptly obeyed all that was asked of him. In obeying God’s command not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, St. Joseph found the tenderness of Jesus as he heard Jesus’ Heart when he held Him, as he watched Him play or taught Him. And yet, Jesus allowed Himself to submit and obey St. Joseph. St. Joseph teaches us this secret of Jesus’ heart: Obedience is not weakness. Obedience is greatness!
During the homily for evening Mass, Father turned to the First Reading — the fantastic Old Testament story of Elijah and his holy contest with the prophets of Baal. Elijah challenges the 450 prophets to have Baal light the fire and consume the bull prepared for sacrifice on their altar. From morning to noon they shout, “Answer us, Baal!” but to no avail. Shouting, hopping, slashing themselves – nothing works. Now it is Elijah’s turn to call upon the true God of Israel to light the fire and consume his sacrifice, challenging the Israelites to decide for themselves who is the true, one and only God. Elijah raises the stakes as he pours water over his offering and wood – until even the trench around the altar is filled with water. “Answer me, Lord! Answer me, that this people may know that you, Lord, are God!” And the Lord’s fire came down, consuming the burnt offering, the wood, the stones and even the dust! The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a consuming fire and we are the unlikely sacrifice. But that is what He wants: to reach down to our nothingness and set us on fire with His love. And who else, but Thérèse of Lisieux knew her own nothingness and weakness and this secret of Jesus’ Heart: He is able to set the unlikely offering of our heart on fire with His love — if only we have the courage to offer all of it to Him.
Day 8
Today, the part of the gospel Father reflected on was “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.’ ” Father described the intensity of love Jesus is calling us to live in our lives. Jesus does not want us to be angry at our brother. Father told us that a good priest friend of his told him that the love Jesus is referring to is the love that is in heaven and He wants us to start loving this way now in the world in preparation for heaven. Yes, we are weak and we cannot do anything without Him. We need his love to love. Father brought St. Teresa of Avila to mind. For years, as a religious, she was known to lead to worldly life in the cloister – to gossip and not love as Our Lord had commanded. Yet the Lord still loved her. One day when she was walking down the cloister stairs, she saw a young boy walking at her side who asked her who she was. She replied, “I am Teresa of Jesus.” The boy (who was Our Lord) then said to her, “I am Jesus of Teresa.” He never abandoned her even though she was not being completely faithful to the commandments of love. Jesus’ Heart beats for us in heaven. He wants us to have confidence in His love. That is the secret of his Heart that He taught to St. Teresa of Avila and that can be ours if we beg Him to give us the love that will never tire of loving Him.
At evening Mass, Father turned to the First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles when Barnabas is set apart with the laying of hands to preach the gospel with St. Paul. Together, Paul and Barnabas had already converted many in the city of Antioch where believers in the gospel were first called Christians. Barnabas is the saint who recalls to us that to proclaim Jesus, to know Jesus, is to be set apart and chosen by God to light the light of faith in others. The secret of Jesus’ Heart that St. Barnabas teaches us is that Jesus’ love for us is personal, not generic. And only when we realize the depths of His love can we bring Jesus’ love and light to others in our own mission.
Day 9
During our morning Mass, Father shared the “most glorious secret” that Jesus wants us to share with us. On Mount Calvary, His heart was pierced by a lance and in every image of the Sacred Heart, we see its opening. It is not a closed Heart. It is a Heart that is always open. When we are weak, disappointed, struggling, tempted — whatever we are going through –may we have confidence that Jesus is waiting for us to enter His Heart. He wants us to take refuge there. We return to St. Margaret Mary to teach us this secret! Among many other secrets of Jesus’ Heart, St. Margaret Mary reveals: “The Divine Heart is an ocean of love in which to submerge our poverty into His Heart of love.” Father reminded us that we don’t have to be perfect or have it all together to enter His Heart. His Heart is always open and when we submerge ourselves and all of our needs into His Heart, we experience the richness of His love and all that He desires to lavish upon us. St. Margaret Mary teaches us this secret of Jesus’ heart: it is an ocean of love for us!
The final Mass of the Novena arrives. We have been prepared and now consecrate our hearts to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on this, His feast day. Father tells us that Jesus asked St. Margaret Mary to exchange her heart for His. Can we, too, do this? If we are willing to give Him our entire heart, yes. If we determine that we will not resist Him, yes. If we can be docile to Him, yes. We do not need to be perfect: Jesus accepts us as we are. But we must expect that the dark places in our hearts — grudges, sinful habits — cannot exist in His heart given to us. Jesus is kind, but demanding. We have to expect to have our hearts pruned so that those dark places in our heart die. His love will be the purifying fire to do just that. A new saint, a millennial saint, is the saint that teaches us this secret. Carlo Acutis, a young Italian, fell in love with Jesus. His parents did not practice the faith, but he begged them to allow him to make his First Holy Communion. Jesus in the Eucharist was Carlo’s best friend and guide. After only his First Holy Communion, Carlo insisted that his family consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As a millennial saint, we even have videos of Carlo. During one of them, a friend asked Carlo what he would do with his life – play soccer, do computers…? Carlo replied, “I am destined to die so that I may live.” He said this before he was diagnosed with leukemia. Before he died, he offered his life to God for the Church and for the Pope. He died at age fifteen. Carlo was young, but he knew this secret of Jesus’ Heart: Jesus desires to exchange our hearts for His.
God be praised!