A Concord Pastor Comments: Pause for Prayer: June 27

The Sacred Heart by Salvador Dali

On the church calendar, today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart, an opportunity to honor and be grateful for the heart of Jesus which is ever open to draw us in.

Our pause for prayer this day takes the form of a litany, a collection of titles and attributes of Jesus' heart, titles we invoke to help us ponder the depth and breadth of his heart's love for us.

And since a picture may be worth a thousand titles, following the text of the litany you'll find several images of the Sacred Heart.

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
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 wide for us your Heart of mercy,
cleanse us from our sins
and bring us back to the joy of your peace.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.