Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. What a gift! The readings today point to something He wants us to really embrace, His Sacred Heart full of pure love! You all know that the word “love” is overly used. We say we love this and we love that, but that’s not really true. It’s more like, “I really like something”, and perhaps we like it a lot, but we don’t really love it. The older I get the more I realize how God’s love is way beyond our love. We get those little perks when for a few seconds we feel his love in a profound way.
Jesus, once again, brings His sheep into the picture in today’s Gospel. But wait! One is missing. He leaves the ninety-nine and goes looking for the missing one. You and I are the missing ones. Do we really feel that Jesus loves us that much? We might say yes with our words, but our actions may show something different. We can look at the disciples and see the suffering they endured and ask ourselves if we are willing to suffer that much for our Lord too.
Love doesn’t really exist without mercy. I would like to share with you a mercy story from our family. My wife’s stepfather really liked sailing! Weather permitting, every Friday after work, he and my mother-in-law would head for either Lake Macatawa or Lake Michigan. One day, a terrible squall came up very suddenly. The 30-foot boat was bouncing around like a ping pong ball. They were really frightened and feared for their lives! He reached out to God, pouring out his heart to the Lord and asking Him to calm the storm. The storm calmed very quickly! He could not tell the story without weeping.
It is our duty to share our Divine Mercy stories with those whose faith is weak, not to brag, but to share how much God really loves us. And while you’re at it, you might also try praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. His Sacred Heart is so full of love and mercy for us and He longs to share it with all of His children.
Serving with joy!
Daily Reading
Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Genesis 32:23-33 In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives, with the two maidservants and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the…
Saint of the Day
Sts. Aquila and Priscilla
Sts. Aquila and Priscilla
Feast date: Jul 08
Saints Aquila and Priscilla were a Jewish couple from Rome who had been exiled to Corinth, and were friends of St. Paul in the first century. They hosted St. Paul on his visit to that city and were probably converted by him. They are mentioned a few times in the New Testament in glowing terms by their friend Paul, who calls them “my helpers in Christ, who have for my life laid down their own necks” (Romans 16:3-4).They were tentmakers, thus sharing the same profession as Paul, and because of this it is thought that Paul may have worked with them. Acts 18:18-19 tells us that they accompanied Paul to Ephesus and stayed there with him for three years.In the era of house churches – when Mass was always celebrated in the house of one of the Christian community – their house was an important one.According to tradition they were martyred in Rome on their return, probably around the same time as St. Paul.