My dear parishioners,
Peace! The Catechism of the Catholic Church mentions the Heart of Jesus variously. “Scripture is a unity by reason of the unity of God’s plan, of which Christ Jesus is the center and heart, open since His Passover. The phrase ‘heart of Christ’ can refer to Sacred Scripture, which makes known His heart, closed before the Passion, as the Scripture was obscure” (CCC, 112; cf. Luke 24:25-27, 44-46; Psalm 22:14). how in view of the incarnation He loves with a human heart, and “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” (cf. CCC, 470, 478; John 19:34; Pius XII Encyclical Haurietis aquas). One form of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Here we consider the twelfth of the thirty-three invocations: Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise.
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). Surely this applies also to the Sacred Heart of Jesus! Why is the Sacred Heart of Jesus most worthy of all praise? If Nathanael had no guile within him, how much more is there no guile in the Sacred Heart of Jesus (cf. John 1:47)?/! The Sacred Heart of Jesus is most worthy of all praise because of His meekness and lowliness (cf. Matthew 11:29). The Sacred Heart is worthy of all praise because of the blessed purity within it (cf. Matthew 5:8). The Sacred Heart of Jesus is worthy of all praise because the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Heart of God.
Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman (+1890) composed the hymn Praise to the Holiest in the Height which praises God, His holiness, wisdom and love, all of which are symbolized by the Sacred Heart. For her part, Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, OCD (+1906) famously wrote of the Praise of Glory. In this she mirrored Sacred Scripture (cf. Ephesians 1:6, 14; Philippians 1:11).
Saint Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, warned the Romans (2:29) of the difference between praise which comes from God and from other people. Similarly, Saint Paul did not praise the Corinthians who did not participate well in the Eucharist (1 Corinthians 11:22). The Sacred Heart of Jesus is most worthy of all praise, human and divine (cf. John 12:43). The Greek word doxa translates variously as glory, honor, praise, worship. These are all well suited to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in which we glory even as it reveals the glory of God. We venerate the Sacred Heart of Jesus which is worthy of honor and praise, sometimes with flowers or kisses or candles, but best with obedient love (cf. John 14:15).

God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr