“The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
In just a couple weeks, on June 11, the US bishops will consecrate our country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. What better way to commemorate the 250th anniversary of our nation. We give thanks to God for all the blessings bestowed on us throughout our history. We ask God’s mercy and forgiveness for our failings, and we confidently turn to him for his help and guidance. “Thank you, Lord; forgive us, Lord; help us, Lord.”
In the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we see and receive the love of God the Father, and through the Holy Spirit, this very love of God is truly poured forth in our hearts. That means that, like the Heart of Jesus, our hearts are also capable of being pierced by the sufferings and injustices in the world around us. But this does not leave us discouraged or despairing. Our hearts, like His, can be pierced with compassionate sorrow because the even deeper and greater strength of divine love burns in our hearts.
The Heart of Jesus is not indifferent to our sufferings. Indeed, He bears our sufferings. And by His wounds, we ourselves are healed, so that our hearts can become vessels, instruments in His hand to continue sharing that same divine love. The Consecration provides an opportunity to both experience that healing love of the Heart of Jesus more deeply and share it more fully with others.
You can prepare for this Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the following novena, from June 3-11: https://www.usccb.org/novena-sacred-heart-jesus. We will post the daily prayers on the parish Facebook page as the Novena unfolds.
From June 9-14, the film “Sacred Heart: His Reign Has No End” will be shown at the Regal Theater in Port Charlotte and at the Grand Luxury Theater in Venice. This docudrama, which was an incredible success when it was released in France last year, tells the history of the devotion to the Sacred Heart.
On June 12-13, we will have 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration here at San Pedro. Adoration will begin after the 8:30 am Mass on Friday, June 12, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and conclude before the 8:30 am Mass on Saturday, June 13, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. You can contact the parish office to sign up for an hour of adoration throughout the day or night.
Finally, you can see that progress is being made on our Adoration Chapel. By the end of the summer, we expect to offer access to Eucharistic Adoration around the clock. The Chapel will be open to the public for certain daytime hours, and securely accessible to registered adorers at any time throughout the day and night. More information will be made available as the details are worked out in the coming weeks.
Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make our hearts like unto thine. Amen.
-Fr. Tom
