The month of June is observed as a special time to honor the Heart of Jesus. You may be familiar with the practice of coming to mass on the First Friday of every month. And it's in June that the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, which falls this year on June 22.
So today, the First Friday in June, we'll reflect on Dali's image of the Sacred Heart (my personal favorite) and pray Wendy Wright's beautiful Litany of the Sacred Heart. (*What's A Litany?)
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| The Sacred Heart by Salvador Dali |
Dali's Sacred Heart portrays so clearly and frankly
the beauty, strength, intensity,
the raw humanity of Christ's divine heart.
This is not the passive Christ of so much art
but rather a strong, in-your-face,
I've-got-your-back Christ
who puts his heart out there for us,
who empties his own heart into ours
with a love beyond all telling...
Here is a Christ
we can imagine fishermen leaving their boats and nets to follow.
Here is a Christ
with strength to pick up and carry any burdens
we might lay at his feet.
Here is a Christ
with a heart robust enough
to pump its Spirit through the universe;
a heart tender enough
to welcome all who seek refuge in its depths;
a heart ready and unafraid
to expose itself to us;
a heart prepared to give itself away
in waves of endless mercy;
a heart large enough and deep enough
to be the very heart of God,
made flesh, for us,
that our hearts might know his
and by his love, be saved...
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.
Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!
- Wendy Wright
*What's A Litany?
A litany is a prayer form, addressed to the Lord or the Blessed Virgin or one of the Saints. A litany consists of a number of "titles" or attributes of the one addressed in prayer, with a recurring refrain, such as the one found in the litany above, Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer! A litany is designed to draw our prayerful attention to the one to whom we pray or whose intercession we are seeking.
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