My Prayer Book_LASANCE - the Catholic Kingdom!

1
The Swed Heart ' 127
70, - Ube Sacreb beart
F YOU want to know the true devotion to the Sacred
Heart, you must study the Passion. See the agony
in the garden, the keen cutting pain at the kiss ot
Judas, the cold shiver at the denla1 of Peter, the dragging
with cords, the blow on the sacred face, the
spitting, the shame, the foul words, yet all this was
nothing, it was little to the longing pain of God seeking
man'slove. The scourging, the crowning with thorns, the
heavy cross placed on those poor, tom, bleeding shoulders,
yet even this is httle, and why? Because there
is still a greater proof of love. "Greater love hath no
man than this, that he lay down hi life for his friend."
Study the Crucifixion; see there what God rejoiced to
suffer, if so He only might give us proofs which we
might believe of this longing for our love. He chose
gladly, nay even willingly, to suffer all this; it was wen
less pain to Him than the coldness of our hearts. The
devotion to the Sacred Heart is simply this: Devotion
to a Heart that loves and is not loved, that is lavishin
favors on His loved ones, and is in return treat e!
with coldness, ingratitude, and outrage. So the two
special objects of this devotion are love and reparation.
And now how are we to de this? It is easy
enough. Do what your own heart dictates. Do what
you think would please this dear Lord, and avoid what
would cause Him pain. The dictates of a loving heart
are sure to be unemng in this respect to the Prisoner
of Love in the Tabernacle. We know that He is there
whole and entire, tbat His Heart is there, loving, praying,
and suffering. That every drop of His precious
Blood, and every fiber of His sacred Heart are there.
Oh! how He longs for love and sympathy; let us try to
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