WE MUST KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST WHICH SURPASSES ALL
KNOWLEDGE
From a letter by Saint Margaret Mary AlacoqueIt seems
to me that our Lord’s earnest desire to have his sacred
heart honored in a special way is directed toward
renewing the effects of redemption in our souls. For the
sacred heart is an inexhaustible fountain and its sole
desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the
humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives
according to his good pleasure.
From this divine heart three streams flow endlessly.
The first is a stream of mercy for sinners; it pours
into their hearts sentiments of contrition and
repentance. The second is the stream of charity which
helps all in need and especially aids those seeking
perfection to find the means of surmounting their
difficulties. From the third stream flow love and light
for the benefit of his friends who have attained
perfection; these he wishes to unite to himself so that
they may share his knowledge and commandments and, in
their individual ways, devote themselves wholly to
advancing his glory.
This divine heart is an abyss of all blessings, and
into it the poor should submerge all their needs. It is
an abyss of joy in which all of us can immerse our
sorrows. It is an abyss of lowliness to counteract our
foolishness, an abyss of mercy for the wretched, an
abyss of love to meet our every need.
Therefore, you must unite yourselves to the heart of
our Lord Jesus Christ, both at the beginning of your
conversion in order to obtain proper dispositions, and
at its end in order to make reparation. Are you making
no progress in prayer? Then you need only offer God the
prayers which the Savior has poured out for us in the
sacrament of the altar. Offer God his fervent love in
reparation for your sluggishness. In the course of every
activity pray as follows:
"My God, I do this or I endure that in the heart
of your Son and according to his holy counsels. I offer
it to you in reparation for anything blameworthy or
imperfect in my actions."
Continue to do this in every circumstance of life.
And every time that some punishment, affliction or
injustice comes your way, say to yourself:
"Accept this as sent to you by the Sacred Heart of
Jesus Christ in order to unite yourself to him."
But above all preserve peace of heart. This is more
valuable than any treasure. In order to preserve it
there is nothing more useful than renouncing your own
will and substituting for it the will of the divine
heart. In this way his will can carry out for us
whatever contributes to his glory, and we will be happy
to be his subjects and to trust entirely in him. |