Contemplative Haven

Jun 19 2009

Father Thomas Rosica on the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Published by gabrielle at 1:02 pm under Canadian, Feastdays, Priests, Sacred Heart of Jesus

Father Thomas Rosica, CSB has been the CEO of Salt and Light Television, Canada’s first national Catholic Television Network, since July 2003. Among the many other accomplishments and appointments which you can read about in his bio at the link I’ve provided, Father was appointed a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in February, 2009, by Pope Benedict XVI. My husband had the privilege of hearing Father speak a couple of years ago at a local mens’ breakfast and was very happy that he had attended – Father Rosica was informative, humourous and very down-to-earth, sincere and humble, despite the many gifts he has received from the Lord and the great way in which the Lord is using him. I encourage you to watch more of Father’s (and other) videos on the Salt and Light TV YouTube Channel.

In this video on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Father Rosica speaks of the “cardiac arrest” which devotion to the Sacred Heart has suffered in today’s society, using the metaphors of heart disease and atrophy. He gives us a little of the history of the devotion, the promises made by Jesus for those who practise it, and inspires us to renew and deepen our devotion, both for ourselves and for the sake of our loveless society. Towards the end he speaks very powerfully of the selfless love we must show towards selfish people, and the reasons why God has placed such selfish people in our lives (which in turn causes me to reflect on the people who have been impacted by my own selfishness throughout the course of my life).

I wish you all a beautiful day today and ever onwards, with our hearts joined closely with our Mother Mary to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

6 responses so far

6 Responses to “Father Thomas Rosica on the Sacred Heart of Jesus”

# Silvia Jesuson 19 Jun 2009 at 4:07 pm

Devotion to the Sacred Heart is devotion to Jesus himself. Silvia Jesus
# Piaon 23 Jun 2009 at 9:48 am

I remembered you writing about a special experience you had on this day a few years back, so I went and read it again (thanks for keeping the old blog up). It reminded me of the facts regarding the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano. The host contains cells from the entire heart, as if it were a cross section, all in one small fragment of flesh. The blood has coagulated into 5 lumps: each individual lump weighs exactly the same as the others and all five of them together have that same exact weight. The cells of both the flesh and blood behave like freshly drawn blood and freshly cut flesh. This is what drew the experts to declare that the miracle is an ongoing phenomenon, unexplainable in nature.
The interpretation of the Fathers is that He is completely present in the same way in every fragment of the Eucharist; All is One, One is All.
# Bindlestiffon 24 Jun 2009 at 9:46 am

It is only by fumbling and bleeding our way to selfless love of a selfish other that we understand unconditional love enough to believe it possible of God –for us, and then, for all. Do some Catholics say, “Jesus died for the sins of many” rather than “for the sins of all”? Those dopes–they render Jesus from Saviour to mere prophet with that, and never get to know Him as redeemer of our every fault–if we want it.

And indeed, Fr. Rosica is very apt and articulate. I was in for a pleasant surprise when I clicked on the S & L video site, to hear our old Papa’s voice in the main video. JP II was the one heart-softener the world had left, after Mother Teresa’s passing. They knew that the heart is meant to be life-sustaining muscle, not an iron fist.

As Pia notes, He left His own Heart behind.
# gabrielleon 27 Jun 2009 at 11:01 pm

Silvia Jesus, truly so.

Pia, yes, and reflecting back on that experience the Lord gave me always brings such wonder and gratitude, and keeps me pretty quiet at this time of year… There is something else I would like to say about it – what happened afterwards, etc. – maybe will be my next post or very soon. (Also, just to let you know, Pia, that all my old posts are on this site too, but without the comments). Good to hear from you, my friend…it’s been too long I’ve been incommunicado, but always thinking of you…

Bindlestiff (whatever does that mean? Will I be forced to google?)

I was very struck by Father’s talking about loving the selfish people in our lives, and that they have been placed with us for a reason. Oh, if we could only keep our egos at bay consistently, and truly reach that beautiful place of unconditional love.
# Bindlestiffon 28 Jun 2009 at 7:43 pm

It’s a sort of gypsy.

Yes, to love selfish people.. takes a deep submerging of self. It is so much easier to walk off on them. Especially if you’re me. But the Lord knows what He is doing even with 5 minutes of sun in a week of rain — He is changing lives in a blink like that, and it is He Who has arranged the moment, and as I’ve almost always found to be so even if in retrospect, it’s always for something that will bless at least two, and even temporally. You know? One day as I got on the bus with my two kids who’d been bullied (as two of many) by a certain young man, I saw him two seats up, laying his angelic little head on his mommy, and his taking her arm and putting it around him. “Ma,” I said, “What’s up with that? Doesn’t she know what he’s like outside?” She told me it’s the little brats who need love the most.
# gabrielleon 29 Jun 2009 at 11:39 am

Aaaah! You gypsy-soul…

I long for the day when it will be 100% spontaneous, coming from Christ within, instead of a constant battle of will and ego and emotion. Jesus, I trust in You.