Daily Catholic Lectio
Fri, 12 June 2026
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Solemnity
Deut 7:6-11. 1 Jn 4:7-16. Mt 11:25-30
God is love
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the centre of this feast stands the simple and profound truth proclaimed by Saint John: “God is love.”
On 24 October 2024, Pope Francis published his fourth encyclical, Dilexit Nos — “He loved us.” In it, he invites us to understand more deeply the love of Jesus Christ, to move beyond the superficiality of our world, and to recognise the social and missionary duties that flow from devotion to the Sacred Heart.
The Sacred Heart is not merely a pious image. It is the visible sign of the invisible love of God. It tells us that God is not distant, cold, or indifferent. He sees us, loves us, forgives us, and draws us to Himself.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart has deep roots in the Church. The early Fathers, especially Saint Augustine and Saint John Chrysostom, meditated on the pierced side of Christ and saw there the love and mercy flowing from His Heart. In the Middle Ages, mystics such as Saint Gertrude and Saint Mechtilde received deep spiritual insights into the tender love of Jesus.
Later, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque became the great witness of this devotion. Jesus revealed His Heart to her as burning with love for humanity. From this experience came practices such as Eucharistic adoration, the First Fridays, acts of reparation, consecration to the Sacred Heart, and the enthronement of His image in homes and communities.
In 1856, Pope Pius IX extended this feast to the universal Church. In 1899, Pope Leo XIII consecrated the whole world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The feast continues to remind us that the centre of Christianity is not fear, but love.
The first reading shows us that love is an action. Moses reminds Israel that God chose them, not because they were powerful or numerous, but because He loved them. He sought them, protected them, guided them, and remained faithful to them. God’s love is not only a feeling. It becomes visible in history. It changes the life of His people.
This is the first lesson of the Sacred Heart: love must become action. To love is to choose, to protect, to forgive, to accompany, and to remain faithful. The Heart of Jesus shows us love that does not remain hidden. It becomes flesh, service, sacrifice, and salvation.
The second reading gives us the deepest definition of God: “God is love.” Saint John does not say only that God loves. He says that God is love. Love comes from God. Whoever loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever remains in love remains in God, and God remains in that person.
Our love for others begins with God’s love for us. We love because He first loved us. We forgive because we have been forgiven. We show mercy because we have received mercy. Devotion to the Sacred Heart is therefore not only about receiving consolation. It is also about becoming capable of loving as Christ loves.
In the Gospel, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.” These words reveal the tenderness of His Heart. He knows our tiredness, wounds, anxieties, and hidden burdens. He does not reject the weary. He invites them.
But Jesus also says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” He removes our burdens, but He also teaches us a new way of living. His yoke is the yoke of love, humility, gentleness, patience, and self-giving. Love is not learnt in a single day. It is learnt by practice, as language is learnt by speaking. We learn love by loving.
The Sacred Heart gives us three clear messages.
First, Jesus is the God who sees us. His merciful eyes are fixed upon us. This is why placing an image of the Sacred Heart in our home or workplace can be meaningful. It reminds us to live under His loving gaze.
Second, Jesus loves us without condition. He does not wait for us to become perfect before loving us. His love is not a reward for holiness. It is the source of holiness.
Third, Jesus continues to love us even when we wound Him. His pierced Heart remains open. Even on the Cross, He prayed for those who crucified Him. His love is stronger than our sin.
Pope Francis once said that loving God can be easy, but allowing ourselves to be loved by God is often difficult. Many of us resist His love because we feel unworthy. The Sacred Heart invites us to let ourselves be loved.
Today let us place our lives, our families, our homes, and our work under the care of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Let His Heart become the centre of our homes and the measure of our relationships.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
A Yesni Prays Initiative
Yesu Karunanidhi 
Leave a comment