A Concord Pastor Comments: Litany for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

Image source: Communio

Friday, July 1, is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, celebrated 19 days after Pentecost Sunday.

Here's a brief history of devotion to the Sacred Heart and here are the scriptures for today's liturgy.

Every First Friday on this page Concord Pastor posts a litany of the Sacred Heart (below). In 2010, I offered a novena leading up to this special day. The prayers for those nine days can be found here.

This year the gospel for the feast of the Sacred Heart is the same as that for this coming Sunday, the 14th in Ordinary Time. Twice this weekend we'll hear these consoling words:

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

Christ's heart may be meek and humble but it is also strong and deep enough to hold within its chambers the burdens of all...

All are invited to come to the heart of Jesus to find rest and light...

What burdens, what weariness do you bring to Jesus' heart this day?

Let us pray...

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!

(Litany by Wendy Wright)

Let us pray...

Father,
we rejoice in the gifts of love
we have received from the heart of Jesus your Son.
Open our hearts to share his life
and continue to bless us with his love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

(Opening Prayer of today's Mass)