Reflection on the Feast of the Sacred Heart

Written on: June 30, 2025

By Sister Karen Marie Voltz, GNSH
June 27, 2025  |  Printable PDF version

When we speak of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we see familiar images: a medal, a profession cross, a picture, a statue, or a stained-glass window.

For me, when I lived at home, there was a statue of the Sacred Heart at the end of our second-floor hallway… in my parents’ bedroom, hung the traditional pictures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

As a student and then a teacher at Holy Angels Academy, I will always see in my mind’s eye—the statue of the Sacred Heart at the end of the first-floor hall.

In St. Margaret’s Church where I minister, the largest window in the front, is of the Sacred Heart. It faces the east, where the morning sun shines brilliantly through it.

As children, most of us learned and still pray today:

“Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us” and
“Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine.”

For many of us, inheriting St. Marguerite D’youville’s devotions, we love the intercession in the Litany of the Sacred Heart: “Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love.”

Today when I think of the Sacred Heart, I think first and foremost of unconditional love.

I often ponder, “How unconditional is this love?”

A spontaneous response is:

“…I will lay down my life..”

In the Letter to the Romans, we heard,

“God proves His love for us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

This is the connection to the theme of the Scripture readings for today’s feast of the Sacred Heart—the Good Shepherd. This is Christ’s redemptive love – willingly laying down His life for all people. We heard in today’s Gospel that Christ says:

“I am the Good Shepherd…I will lay down my life for my sheep.”

Today, we recognize the importance of every single lamb, as the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to seek one.

I have read that the ninety-nine stay together because they huddle together, touching each other – as we do figuratively in community, and with others.

However, a lamb alone needs the shepherd to come after it. Unlike animals, when lost and come back when called —a lamb is paralyzed with fear. The shepherd must take the initiative and go after it. If the lamb is small, the shepherd cradles it in his arms. If the lamb is bigger, he slings it over his shoulders. In any case – the lamb is carried.

If we identify with that lamb, there are many, many times God carries us: through sickness…aging…sorrows in our life… transitions…loss of loved ones or friends…everyday disappointments, loneliness, and physical challenges.

I believe that in many ways, God CARRIES us, from one day to another, each day of our lives!

There are so many lovely images in Psalm 23. Christ the Shepherd refreshes us, guides us, gives us courage, and dispels our fears, as He walks beside us. God’s goodness and kindness follow us – ALL the days of our lives!

In the First Reading, Ezekiel’s prophecy that God will be a shepherd—is so identified with the Compassionate Heart of Christ, who leads, seeks out, rescues, gathers, binds up, heals, and gives rest.

We have experienced this compassion ourselves, and witnessed it with our families, community, associates, colleagues, friends, parishioners, and neighbors— where we live in cities, in the Church, and globally.

However, so much compassion is still needed by those discriminated against because of their race, ethnicity, dress, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.

The Heart of Christ and our hearts must be compassionate toward those with physical or mental differences, or special needs, refugees, the marginalized, those in poverty, in hospitals or nursing facilities, the addicted, prisoners, the homeless, street people, asylum-seekers, those in war-torn countries and migrant workers.

At the last judgement, it will be the sheep, who imitated the Compassionate Heart of Christ “that will enter the kingdom… who did it for one of these, the least of GOD’S people.”

In his encyclical on the Sacred Heart, titled “He Loved Us”, Pope Francis wrote,

The most decisive question we can ask is,
‘Do I have a heart.’

THIS is the compassion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — that the Grey Nuns, Associates, colleagues, people everywhere – seek to recognize, strive to identify with and pray for daily.

This entry was posted in Matters of Faith and tagged: Ezekiel, Feast of the Sacred Heart, Pope Francis, Psalm 23, Sister Karen Marie Voltz, The Good Shepherd