Learning to be Quick to Listen

Catholics don’t celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus because it's a random organ. We don’t have feast days for Jesus’ arms or kidneys, for instance. Rather, the feast honors his divine-human love for us, a love that the Catechism refers to as “our hidden center.” This devotion goes all the way back to the Middle Ages, but its celebration as a solemnity became especially important in the seventeenth century as a response to the devastating heresy of Jansenism . The Jansenist heresy created a deep and lasting spiritual anxiety for Catholics, largely because it painted a distorted picture of God as an “implacable judge” rather than a merciful Father. Jansenism wrongly taught that God predestined some people for hell, that most people lacked the perfect contrition required to be forgiven in the sacrament of confession, and that unworthy reception of Communion was a grave risk. The resulting vision was a cold, distant God who was not to be loved but feared. This led o...

For Catholics, a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus offers profound spiritual benefits, drawing us closer to the very core of divine love and mercy. This devotion isn't just about a physical organ, but rather a symbolic representation of Christ's boundless love for humanity, a love so immense it led Him to suffer and die for our salvation. Through it, we contemplate the depths of His compassion, His patience, and His willingness to embrace our suffering. It provides a powerful antidote to a world often lacking in authentic love, helping us to understand God as infinitely good and merciful, rather than solely a judging authority. Embracing this devotion can lead to a deepening of our own charity, a greater capacity for forgiveness, and a renewed sense of hope and peace in our daily lives. To practically deepen your devotion to the Sacred Heart, consider the practice of making a "Holy Hour" of prayer. Inspired by Jesus' request to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque to ...

To all those preparing to enter the Catholic Church this Easter through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults ( OCIA ), take heart in the profound message of renewal that this sacred season embodies. As you stand on the threshold of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist, remember the powerful words echoed throughout scripture and the teachings of our Church: what’s past is past. Like the woman at the well , whose past was known by Christ yet met with compassion and an invitation to a new life, you too are embraced by a God of boundless mercy. The Lord does not condemn you for the paths you have walked, the choices you have made. Instead, He offers a clean slate, a fresh start bathed in the light of His resurrection. Pope Saint John Paul the Great, in his profound wisdom, often spoke of the transformative power of God's forgiveness . He emphasized that while sin is a reality that wounds both ourselves and the Body of Christ, God's love is always greater, always ready ...

Without a repentant heart, Christians can risk living out their faith superficially and fail to live out God's desire for " mercy, not sacrifice ," Pope Francis said. Instead, Jesus' love for sinners shows that the church is not "a community of perfect people, but disciples on a path who follow the Lord because they recognize themselves as sinners and in need of his forgiveness," the pope said at his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square April 13. Jesus' mission is "to search for each one of us, to heal our wounds and call us to follow him with love," he said.  The pope reflected on the Gospel passage, which recounted Jesus calling Matthew to follow him despite the fact he was a tax collector and considered a sinner by the people. Jesus, he said, did not rebuke him for his past but dines with him and "opens up a new future." "There is no saint without a past and there is not sinner without a future. This is beautiful...

The gift of mercy is a light that helps Christians reflect on the past year and radiates hope at the start of the new year, Pope Francis said. While retracing the events of 2015 may recall moments of both joy and sorrow, it also offers a moment to understand the presence of God who "renews and sustains with his help," Pope Francis said during an evening prayer service in St. Peter's Basilica on New Year's Eve. The prayer service included eucharistic adoration and Benediction, as well as the singing of the "Te Deum," a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God, for the closing year.  The " Te Deum ," he said, is the church's way of giving thanks and recognizing the loving presence of God throughout history. "With this hymn, we look back at the history of salvation where, through God's mysterious plan, the various events of our life in this past year find" their place and meaning, the pope said. Although the past year may bring bo...