By Mari Pablo
Back in 2008, after a lot of arguing and making excuses, I finally said yes to surrendering everything to the Lord. The plans I had for my life at that time went out the door and I found myself moving to Ohio to study Theology and Psychology at Franciscan University. It was during the months leading up to this move that I began noticing the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus everywhere. Even though this is an image we tend to see often, I felt like it was following me in very specific ways. I would see it on cars and churches and hear about it in different places. It even was the main theme of one of the events during my first visit to Franciscan University.
One day, as a student, I went to the chapel to pray and found a wooden rosary that had the Sacred Heart image engraved in every Our Father bead, as well as an image of a saint holding the Sacred Heart. When I later showed it to a friend, she told me that she had been praying and felt the need to pass the rosary forward to whoever the Lord wanted to receive it. It turned out that it was me.
“After this, he asked me for my heart, which I begged him to take. He did so and placed it in his own Adorable Heart, where he showed it to me as a little atom which was being consumed in this great furnace, and withdrawing it thence as a burning flame in the form of a heart, he restored it to the place whence he had taken it…”
– St. Margaret Mary
Wondering why I encountered this image so often, I began digging deeper into the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I learned about Margaret Mary Alacoque and did some research on her. When I learned that she had spent a lot of time in a hospital as a child, I immediately related to her. As a child, I spent most of my time in a hospital as well.
When I reflect on the image of the Sacred Heart, I realize that, at a first glance, it is not such a warm image. After all, it is a bleeding heart, punctured and surrounded by a crown of thorns. Yet, this reminds me of the reality of suffering. We as Catholics are not to be afraid of suffering. Rather, we are called to see the beauty in it. This heart that was pierced for many is a reminder that Jesus enters into the darkness of our lives and transforms it. Love demands sacrifice and Christ’s sacrifice was done out of love for me and you.
“His Sacred Heart will do everything for me if I let him, he shall will, he shall love, he shall desire for me and make up for all my faults.”
– St. Margaret Mary
My devotion to the Sacred Heart is very close and near to my heart. Nothing makes me feel more seen than the heart of Jesus. Every day, I pray to God to let me receive his heart and tune my heartbeat to his. I give him permission to guide my life. And this is the kind of relationship that I strive at with the Lord: nothing more than to be completely consumed by his heart.
