Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: Day 9

This Novena to the Sacred Heart began on Thursday, June 3, and concludes today on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Friday, June 11. Each day of the novena there is posted: an image of the Sacred Heart; a brief reflection; a scripture verse; a Litany of the Sacred Heart by Wendy Wright; and a closing prayer. As the Year for Priests comes near its end, please remember priests along with all those for whom you pray this novena. (Click at the top of the sidebar for earlier entries in this series.)


Open Your Heart by Timothy P Schmalz, available in several sizes and editions. The original in clay (above) offers the greatest detail (click on image for larger version).

Reflection for Day 9Beyond our imagining, the breadth and depth of Jesus' heart expands eternally to hold in its beating chambers every human being created in God's image. In the heart of Jesus are found the peoples of every time and age, of every race and nation: past, present and to come. We are in Christ's heart now, already - and we always have been. All things came to be through him and without him, nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race. In the heart of Jesus we are brothers and sisters. Our life's work is to grasp that each heart is meant, is made, to beat as one with Christ's heart. And if each heart beats as one with Christ's, then all hearts will beat together and live in the Spirit's breath. Sin is congestive heart failure in the body of Christ and we need the healing of the divine Physician to heal us and give us one heart and one breath...
Scripture
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness
and the darkness has not overcome it...
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory of the Father's only Son,
full of grace and truth.
- John 1:1-5, 14
Litany of the Sacred Heart
Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

So loving
So humble
So gentle
So compassionate
So faithful
So wise
So patient
So steadfast
So tender
So spacious

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

God’s joy
God’s shalom
Harp of the Trinity
Wingbeat of the Spirit
Breath of God
Five-petaled rose

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Womb of justice
Birthplace of peace
Our dearest hope
Longing of our lives

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Freely flowing fountain
Spring of grace
Freshet of forgiveness
Merciful river
Mystical dew

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Warmth of our hearts
Transforming fire
Cosmic furnace
Enflamer of hearts

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Heart of evolution
Beginning and ending
Center of all

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Garden of virtues
Mystical dew
Table and food

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Our refuge
Our shelter
Our comfort
Our rest
Our welcoming breast

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Wounded by love
Pierced by our cruelty
Broken by our hardness
Mystic winepress
Poured out as gift

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Have mercy, gracious heart,
Give us gratefulness
Teach us tenderness
Let us learn to love.

Hear our prayer!

- Wendy Wright

Let us pray...
God of all our hearts,
open your heart that we might see in yours
the beauty of each and every one created in your image.
As a a mother holds her child to her breast,
hold us close to you and one another
that our hearts might beat as one with yours
and the breath of the Spirit be the joy of our lives.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.


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