Script
0:00
This novena is for the nine days leading to the Feast of the Sacred Heart, which falls this year on the 3rd of June. You may pray the novena privately, in your family, in a parish group or with your neighbours or friends. If you are praying it with others, a different person may lead the novena each day, or you may share the various sections among those taking part.
Don't rush. Read the Scripture passage (on the image) and the meditation slowly, pausing when something strikes you. A short prayer follows, which takes up the theme of the day, and you end with the Novena Prayer.
So, what does this feast mean to us today? We are made for love. How we all long to love and to be loved. Of course statues and pictures of the Sacred Heart will be very poor images of God’s love. What could show it? Fr Simon Bishop SJ reflects: "When I was a young boy, I remember going into my parents’ bedroom where, together, we would say night prayer. Above their bed was this lovely little statue of a rather fat-bellied man, with rosy cheeks and the biggest of smiles. His arms were held open wide and underneath were the words; “I love you this much!” Again, it was only a faint image of the love I received from my parents and an even fainter image of the love we receive from God, but it gave me an image. It was, of course, an image of the Cross."
Every time we celebrate the Eucharist we enter the greatest love story ever lived. At its heart we hear Jesus’ extraordinary words of love; “This is my Body given up for you … This is my Blood poured out for you.” This is no mere picture of love, this is love in action. The Lord gives Himself, pours out Himself, in love for us. How He longs to love us and to be loved by us. How He longs to fulfil our longings. How He longs for us to reveal His love to those searching for His love. So, let us allow the Lord to love us in the Holy Eucharist, at Mass; in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, spending time with him, quietly, simply, every day, if possible, so that He, in turn, can fill those we meet with His love. Perhaps we don’t have rosy cheeks, perhaps we aren’t (too!) over-weight, but with a smile and with our hearts open wide, let all who meet us see the Lord saying to them: “I love you this much”!