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 part of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, VHM (+1690) mystically received the promises. Here we consider the forth of the twelve promises: I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.
What does it mean that the Sacred Heart will be our refuge in both life and death? Our friends at the Oxford Dictionary point out that a “refuge” is a place or state of safety from danger or trouble.” In this we are called toward the Sacred Heart whenever there is danger about. The Lord suffered from the dangers and troubles of His Passion. His glorious resurrection, including His beating, living, Sacred Heart are now for us a safe-haven. We can read in Sacred Scripture about six of the forty-eight cities of Levites which are “cities of refuge” (cf. Numbers 35:6, 14; Deuteronomy 19:2; Joshua 20:2,7; 21:13, 21, 27, 32, 38). The Hebrew words machaseh, machseh, mahseh, and manos are used in the Old Testament referring to God as our refuge (cf. Psalm 14:6; 46:1; 59:16; 62:7-8; Isaiah 4:6; 2 Samuel 22:3).
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus includes living in a state of grace, free from mortal sin. When we are well confessed, living the life of grace, our confidence of the grace of a happy death should be strong. In the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary we note that at the end of her earthly life the holy Mother of God was ready to see the Lord face to face and there is none more devoted to the Sacred Heart than she who pondered in her Immaculate Heart so many mysteries (cf. Luke 2:19; Revelation 12:1). The grace of final perseverance is addressed by Saint Thomas Aquinas, OP (+1274) in his Summa Theologiae (cf. I-II Q. 14, a. 9; Q.109, a. 10; II-II Q. 137, a. 4) as “abiding in good to the end of life” which requires “Divine assistance guiding and guarding” “against the attacks of the passions.” Prayer and devotion to the Sacred Heart guards us in life and death.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr