Triduum of the Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Day One

Gospel Reading: MT 5:43-48

Theme: Universality of Divine Love and the particular love we are given to share.

October 20th, 1672 Fr John Eudes first known instance (using various names)

One of the seven Feasts of the Lord in Ordinary Time
Universal are: Transfiguration of the Lord, Triumph of the Cross and Feast of the Dedication.
Western specific: Trinity, Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart of Jesus and Christ the King.

Eph 3:8 – boundless riches of Christ.
Jn 19:37 – reparation and contemplating the pierced heart of Jesus since the first day.

Sacred Heart of Jesus is the revelation of the Father’s love.

Introduction to the sacred time between Corpus Christi and the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

1. Greeting and Opening Prayer.
2. Introduction to the Mystery.
3. Sacred Heart:

Triduum Prayer Service preceding the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The symbol of the love with which Jesus continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings without exception.

The wholeness of the Heart of Jesus is present in the heart of a Priest.

Jesus knew and loved us each and all during his life, his agony, and his Passion and gave himself up for each one of us: “The Son of God . . . loved me and gave himself for me.”

He has loved us all with a human heart. For this reason, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced by our sins and for our salvation, “is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that. . . love with which  the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings” without exception.

Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis: “The new evangelization needs new evangelizers, and these are the priests who are serious about living their priesthood as a specific path towards holiness” (n. 82). Holy Thursday, by taking us back to the origins of our priesthood, reminds us also of the duty to strive for holiness, to be “ministers of holiness” to the men and women entrusted to our pastoral service. In this light we see how very fitting is the suggestion put forward by the Congregation for the Clergy that every Diocese should celebrate a “Day for the Sanctification of Priests” on the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

1. “So that your love for me may live in them” (Jn 17:26).

 Christ prays in the Upper Room. Re prays on the evening in which he instituted the Eucharist. He prays for the Apostles and for all those “who will believe through their word” (Jn 17:20) down the generations and centuries. He is asking the Father that all “may he one”, as the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father: “That they may be one in us” (Jn 17:21).

To be one: the unity of Divinity and the unity of communion of the Persons – the unity of the Father in the Son and of the Son with the Father in the Holy Spirit. Unity through Love.

Christ prays for love: “So that your love for me may live in them” (Jn 17:26).

Christ reveals the secret of his Heart. Precisely this human Heart of God’s Son is an ineffable sanctuary which contains all the treasures of love: it is a Heart “overflowing with goodness and love” (Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus).

 2. The prayer offered by Christ in the Upper Room continues in the Church: from century to century, from generation to generation, it is a perennial “source of life and holiness” (ibid.). But there are particular moments in history, specially chosen places and persons who almost discover and reveal anew this perennial and undying truth about love.

Source: Pope John Paul II canonizes Claude La Colombiére May 31, 1992

• Scripture Reading and Reflection.
  We are given to experience and share love in the same intentionality of God the Father – fully, unreservedly and universally.
  Loving the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the efficacious pathway to the Father. Reference Peter’s restoration Do you love me?
• Daily Invocation.
• Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
• Concluding Prayer.

Day Two

Gospel Reading: Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Eph 3:8-9 – Hidden and revealed in plain view (Paul).

Eph 3:10-12 – through the Church.. God.. be made known to the rulers and authorities (including) in the heavenly places.

Jn 1:14 – the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

Rev 21:3 -Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race (and in the human person).

Theme: Selflessness of Divine Love and the particular acts of love we are given to share.

Gosh, you may be thinking, ‘No! Not another Lent homily’ After all, we treat this Gospel message of Jesus Christ quite extensively during Lent. The three disciplines of Lent are… Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Nope, not going there. Not a repeat.

The Heart of God’s Son becomes, for the Apostle, the source of strength for all human hearts.

Hidden and Revealed

Short funny story – Father Son Bible and College…. hidden cash at different places in the bible but never found by Son.

The Christ was hidden in the Old Testament. Jesus was hidden in the womb of His Mother. Jesus’ early life was a hidden life of the Holy Family of Nazareth.And Mary held all this deep in her heart.

We seek to be hidden in God or we seek to hide from God and in the end we reveal how we are with God. Let me repeat.

We either seek to be hidden in God or we seek to hide from God and in the end we reveal how we are with God.

Example of the Western Wall, Herod’s Temple, Jerusalem, Israel. Also known as the Wailing Wall where people write supplications on little slips of paper and insert into the cracks in the wall. It is a massive and impressive wall invoking the knowledge of the power and towering strength of God and His ability to protect His people.

It is said, there are enough crevices in the Wailing Wall to contain all the prayers of every human person.

It is in these hidden places in the massive wall they place their prayers. The God of such symbolic magnitude nevertheless provides the hidden spaces for the most intimate hopes of people.

The sacred wound of Jesus is bidirectional. There is the outpouring of Grace upon the world. It is also the entry to the hidden place where God lives which is in the center of the heart of Jesus and what could be in the center of your heart as well.

Story #1 – Gift from Sito Tralala in Barangay Gordon Heights, Olongapo City, Philippines.

Story #2 – Gift from coworker at ChoicePoint (now LexisNexis).

Gifts from the Heart are precisely from where Jesus wants us to give our gifts. Giving from the Sacred Heart of Jesus (a font you have access to) is the gift par excellent. Give generously.

So then hide! Hide in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Let your prayers flow with divine grace, your gifts flow from the divine place and your sacrifice be from the divine place.

(It is advantageous to read the first reading from today – 2 KGS 2:1, 6-14. Here you will see the hidden calling to the heart of Elisha [step it up] and the heart of Elijah [give it up]. Hidden, God at work and the gift giving.

Day Three

Note: Due to technical problems the radio broadcast started at 6:15 PM. I had to restart the WiFi router but it took a little while to figure out what the problem was.

Gospel Reading: Mt 6:7-15

Eph 5:25b-27 – Christ loved the Church. He gave himself up … to make holy, purified in word and water.. without stain.. to present her (you) to the Father.

Jn 3:30 – He must increase and I must decrease. CHALLENGING THOUGHT: John the Baptizer moves aside so we can see Jesus. Jesus moves aside so we can see the Father.

Our Priests are always challenged like John and Jesus, how can I be present and yet point them to the Father’s love? The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is also the Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.

Theme: Direct access to the source of Divine Love and the particular intentionality of love we are given to share. In the Our Father, Jesus intentionally points us to the Father, not to himself, but to the source of all love. Abba, Father!

Jesus loves with an Everlasting. A love which he shares with the Father.
Jesus is gentle and humble.
Jesus shepherds us.

Story. Mother dressed kids for Holy Mass.

Story: Fr Nobert and a charming story of his new suit and his parish home in Les Irois, Haiti.

(Don’t tell my brothers I put this photo here. They would not be happy)

Priests would share the same thoughts as they try to prepare us for Holy Mass too!

Blood Poured out. Old and New. At the giving of the Tablet and at the Cross.

Jesus hares his Father with us. Jesus makes for the fullness meaning of the word OUR.

Solemnity of the Most Sacred HEart of Jesus

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. We prepared during the Triduum three major aspects of this feast.

1. The selflessness and inexhaustible riches coming from/contemplation of the pierced heart of Jesus and in the heart of our being-sanctified Priests. Love unreservedly.
2. The selflessness nature of the hidden and revealing place of the Heart of Jesus. Loves source is the Father. Our acts are perfect when sourced from the Father’s love.
3. The selflessness of John the Baptist and Jesus, Son of God, making way for us to be revealed to and the revealing of the Father’s Love. The Our Father par excellence. Our priests and our Jesus prepare us. Love speaks in the deepest groans.

In today’s Gospel reading Jesus speaks about the hidden things and revealed things all in the service of Love. It doesn’t require exceptional qualities of a person to receive the Father but simply an accepting heart.

This spiritual journey from not knowing to knowing is what Jesus offers. In ancient times and in today’s time the journey seems so complicated and arduous. But Jesus reassures us that to find the Father of Love you need only Jesus. Here you find rest, guidance, knowledge and the pathway of eternal life. He is not the task master. He is not a demanding God but for the commandment to be like him meek and humble of heart.

God bless you.

Please leave a comment or a ‘Like.’

It’s like yelling into the Grand Canyon and hearing only my own echo.

Triduum Prayers

Today’s Prayer

Lord, I come to you at the start of this novena with a muddle of desires. Give me courage, to listen to what you want to say to me about these desires and give me the strength to accept your loving desires for me and for my loved ones.

Three Our Father, three Ave Maria, one Glory be.

Daily Invocation

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

Novena Prayer

Lord Jesus, the needs of your people open your heart in love for each of us. You care for us when we are lost, sympathize with us in loneliness, and comfort us in mourning; you are close to us where we are weak. You love us most when we love ourselves least; you forgive us most when we forgive ourselves least; and you call us to spread your love in whatever way we can.

Lord Jesus, your heart is moved with compassion when we are suffering, when we need your help, and when we pray for each other. I ask you to listen to my prayer during this Novena, and grant what I ask. (Mention your intention silently.)

If what I ask is not for my own good and the good of others, grant me what is best, that I may build up your kingdom of love in our world.

LITANY OF THE SACRED HEART of JESUS

V. Lord, have mercy on us.
R. Christ, have mercy on us.

 
V. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
R. Christ, graciously hear us.

V. God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mother’s womb.
Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God.
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty.
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God.
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High.
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven.
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity.
Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love.
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love.
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues.
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise.
Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts.
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead.
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased.
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received.
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills.
Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy.
Heart of Jesus, rich to all who call upon You.
Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness.
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our offenses.
Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with reproaches.
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our iniquities.
Heart of Jesus, obedient even unto death.
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance.
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation.
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection.
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation.
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in You.
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You.
Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints.

V. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
R. spare us, O Lord.
V. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
R. graciously hear us, O Lord.
V. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
R. have mercy on us.

V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart,
R. Make our hearts like Yours

Let us pray.

Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of your most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers You in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Your mercy, in Your great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reign with you forever and ever. Amen.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

Citations

Citations: Unless otherwise noted, content is is my own or from various homilies by Pope John Paul II. Usually it would be obvious which is which. Really good stuff – JPII, bridging and recapitulations, mine.

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