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| Sacred Heart of Jesus by Dali |
Of all the images of the Heart of Jesus I've seen, Dali's is my favorite. Its in-your-face strength reveals a divine source of power, even though the heart in the painting is so very human. And I wonder: does Christ's heart seem, here, a rose, offered on the stem of the Cross?
Dali's Sacred Heart portrays so clearly and frankly the beauty, strength, intensity and raw humanity of Christ's divine heart. This is not the passive Christ of so much religious art but rather the strong Christ of self-emptying love whose heart was crucified for us.
Here is a Christ we can imagine fishermen leaving their boats and nets to follow. Here is a Christ strong enough to carry any burdens we might place in his hands. Here is a Christ with a heart robust enough to pump its Spirit through the universe; a heart tender enough to welcome any and all who seek refuge within it; a heart unafraid to expose itself that all might know its love and mercy; a heart ready for giving itself away from unfathomable depths; a heart big enough to be the very heart of God, the heart of God's Word made flesh, that our hearts might come to know his love for us.
(On the first Friday of each month, you'll find here a Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.)
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!
- Wendy Wright
Let us pray...
Lord of all our hearts,
open wide your Heart of mercy
and refresh us with the peace that flows
from the font of your love.
Gracious Lord,
hear and answer our prayer.
Amen.
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