“The Most Sacred Heart is Exceedingly Rich in Mercy"
By Rev. J. Fuhlrott
"Come to me, all you that labor, and are burdened, and I will refresh you" - Matt xi 28.
It is remarkable that the divine Savior during His say upon earth used no other name for Himself, than that of, "Son of Man." In St. Matthew's Gospel alone the divine Redeemer calls Himself by this name twenty-eight times. Why did He not call Himself "Son of God"? St. Cajetan explains that Christ did not call Himself "Son of God" but "Son of man," in order to emphasize that He was a real man, and that He was giving His whole Heart, and even His life for mankind, because, for this He came into the world, to save mankind, and to offer Himself for its redemption. What boundless, amazing love of this most loving Heart of Jesus, by which it offered itself up for all mankind, and even now breaths grace and mercy towards mankind just as the sun illumines the earth, gives light to the stars above, and imparts to all creatures life, warmth and growth.
Yes, the divine Heart of Jesus is the mystical sun, which does good to all, illumines everything and the rays of His divine mercy are poured out in heaven upon the heavenly spirits, and the souls of the blessed, but also upon the souls of mortals upon earth, not barring even the greatest sinners. From this divine Heart all the members of His most sacred body were inspired with mercy. For proof of this let us peruse the Holy Scriptures.
Observe, O Christian soul, above all, the affectionate eyes of Jesus, how they express the greatest leniency toward wretched souls; ask Matthew, the publican: "Jesus saw a man sitting at the custom house, whose name was Matthew, and He said to him: "Follow me", and he rose up and followed Him." Jesus saw Zacheus in the fig tree, and Peter in the courtyard and both as He gazed upon them could not withstand these eyes. "And the Lord turning, looked on Peter, and Peter went out, and wept bitterly." (Luke xxii. 61.) Behold the power of the eyes of Jesus!
And His ears, how ready and willing they always were in life to listen to the troubles of miserable mankind. The thief upon the cross had hardly uttered the words: "Lord, remember me," when, his petition was already granted: "To-day thou shalt be with me in Paradise" Now take notice. The Penitent thief had not asked for Paradise - in the consciousness of his crime he would never have ventured to ask for it; he only asked that the ears of Jesus would notice the voice of his supplication, and with his humble "remember" he obtained more than he had hoped for.
Consider the tongue and the lips of Jesus; through them only love and clemency were poured out for all.
Consider His pierced hands upon the cross, how benevolent and generous had they been towards all, especially towards the sick and suffering. All they asked of our Lord was that He should lay His hands upon them.
Consider the feet of Jesus, contemplate how Magdalene prostrated herself humbly before them, moistened them with her tears, and thereupon obtained forgiveness of her sins.
Consider finally the sacred body of Jesus of which the evangelist Luke says: "A virtue went out from him, and he healed all," and this virtue flowed even from the hem of His garments and immediately healed the woman who had suffered from an issue of blood for twelve years.
Whence, O Christian soul, came this virtue and clemency which flowed from all the members of Christ's body? Contemplate the divine Heart of Jesus; there you will find the source and origin of all His goodness and grace.
As from the heart of man the other members of his body receive life and strength, so from the Sacred Heart of Jesus flows abundantly all grace and mercy upon the mystical members, which are the faithful. "Because in him it hath well pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell" (Col 1 19)
Who may despair therefore if the Sacred Heart of Jesus is so kind, so gracious, and so compassionate? Approach, O sinner, with perfect confidence and contrition the throne of divine reconciliation, and you will be amazed, and your heart will expand with the immensity of love. Do you doubt the sweetness and clemency of the divine Heart of Jesus? Remember the woman of Samaria whom Jesus met at Jacob's well in Sichar, where after the journey He sat down, fatigued and thirsty, and asked for a drink of water in these words: "Give me to drink." But the woman, displeased at this demand, answered haughtily: "How dost thou, being a Jew, ask of me to drink, who am a Samaritan woman?" You Jews, she meant to say, do not associate with the Samaritans; why then do you come to this well and ask a service at my hands?
You see here the pride and arrogant heart of the Samaritan woman, for she addresses Jesus with "thou," without respect for His dignity which showed 9itself in His outward appearance. How did the most meek Heat of Jesus behave? It had compassion upon the woman's weakness, and continuing the conversation, He said to her with gentleness and meekness: "If thou didst know the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water" (John iv.) (By this living water the Lord signified, according to St. Cyril, the grace of the Holy Ghost that washes the soul from sin as if by water, and cools the heart of passion.) To this kindness of the Lord the pride and insolence of the woman gave way at once. "Sir," she answered, "give me this water," and from now on she addressed Jesus always as Sir. Whence came such great and sudden change in this bold woman? St. Cajetan says: When she heard the kind answer of Jesus, she began to reverence Jesus; for before she had said, thou, but now Sir. Contemplate here the meekness and the compassion of the Heart of Jesus, which, like the sun, rises upon the good and the bad, and despises no class of men, but invites them all to come to Him, with the words: "Come to me, all you that labor, and are burdened, and I will refresh you."
Sacred history tells us, that Saul collected an army to take David prisoner in the desert and to kill him. David hearing of this arose in the night and accompanied by Abishai entered secretly into Saul's tent and found him sleeping, and his spear stuck in the ground at his head. The Abishai said to David: "I will run him through with my spear even to the earth at once; and there shall be no need of a second time." But David replied that on no account was Saul to be killed: "The Lord be merciful unto me, that I extend not my hand upon the Lord's anointed! But now take the spear which is at his head, and the cup of water; and let us go." (I. Kings xxvi.4, II.)
And they did so. Why did David not kill his enemy after God had delivered him into his hands? David is the prototype of Christ, who said of Himself: "Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heat." (Matt. xi. 29.) But Saul, who persecuted David unjustly, is the image of the sinner. Abishai signifies the divine justice which is provoked and ready to run the sinner through with the spear of eternal perdition, and destroy body and soul. But the most meek and gently Heart of Jesus does not allow this, saying: "Upon no account shall the sinner die. I desire not the death of the sinner, for he is an anointed of the Lord," that is to say redeemed with my blood, and "the Son of man came not to destroy souls, but to save. (Luke ix. 56). For this reason, I permitted my side to be opened with the spear, that he might have free access to my Heart. And if this my boundless love does not move him to return and to repent, I will oblige him to enter there, for there is still room in this divine Heart: I will take away his weapon and his cup of water, that is, the health of his body, his earthly possessions, and the lusts of the flesh, through which he formerly persecuted me like Saul, so that he may know his sins, and find grace and life." "O man," exclaims St. Bernard, "who would not love this Heart, which is so sorely wounded? who that is so loved would not love in return?
St. Mechtildis once saw a most beautiful virgin, surrounded by a wonderful brilliancy, step out of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus crucified; in her right hand she held a diamond, which she frequently dropped into the open side of the Redeemer, and bathed it in the blood and water of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. St. Mechtildis was astonished at this sight, and when she asked the divine savior for its meaning, she heard the divine voice from heaven which said to her: "By this beautiful virgin is signified the love of God for mankind, the diamond is the symbol of the heart of man, which though hardened indeed, gains at last light, and the luster of virtue when bathed in the most precious blood of Jesus Christ."
O sinners! if until now your hearts were hard like the diamond do penance, and wash your souls in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and in the blood of the Lamb. Come hither, all you who are troubled here is rest for your souls. Amen.