What the World Needs Now : To Burn with the Love of Christ ’ s Sacred Heart
Father Charles Fox
I came to cast fire upon the earth . — Luke 12:49
Fire ! What single word more immediately commands people ’ s attention ? No sane and moral person would ever consider yelling the word fire in a public place , for fear of causing a panic .
Fire has tremendous power . It gives warmth and light , but its consuming heat also ignites virtually everything in its path .
One of the most curious and often vexing characteristics of fire is that it can be so difficult to kindle and also extremely difficult to extinguish . Countless campers have embarrassed themselves struggling to start campfires before the watchful eyes of their companions . And the difficulty of extinguishing large fires — wildfires that consume entire neighborhoods , for example — is a grim fact of life in places like California .
Our seminary ’ s dedication to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus reveals God ’ s love as a fire that burns in the heart of Jesus Christ . Our devotion also reminds us of the eager desire of Jesus to spread his love over the entire face of the earth .
This is a time when many people feel imprisoned by doubt , fear , sickness , hatred , and division . Only Christ ’ s burning love offers the ultimate , perfect treatment for these diseases of the human soul . Pope Benedict XVI once called this fire “ Christ ’ s own passion of love ,” and “ a fire that is to be handed on .” These designations provide an apt way of thinking about devotion to the Sacred Heart .
“ Christ ’ s own passion of love ”
Most artistic depictions of the Sacred Heart show it surrounded by his Crown of Thorns , with the cross planted atop the heart , a lance wound clearly visible on its side , and flames bursting forth from within the heart and burning around the cross .
These signs of Christ ’ s Passion and death show the exact kind of love that burns in the heart of Jesus — crucified love , self-sacrificing love . “ No one has greater love than this , to lay down one ’ s life for one ’ s friends .” ( John 15:13 )
The love the world celebrates is symbolized by a heart pierced by Cupid ’ s arrow . The love that saves us from sin and death is revealed in the heart pierced by thorns and a lance . The world often says that “ love is love ,” but not all loves are the same .
The late and immensely talented singer Whitney Houston once sang that “ learning to love yourself can be the greatest love of all .” Love of self has its place in human life , but it is not the greatest love of all .
The greatest love of all is that love by which the unthinkable happened , and became the defining truth of human existence : “ For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son .” ( John 3:16 ) God took our human flesh and allowed it to be nailed to a cross in order to rescue us from hell . That is the greatest love possible , and it is the measure of all other loves .
Thomas á Kempis , in his Imitation of Christ , wrote these words about the crucified love of God at work in the heart of a Christian disciple : Love is an excellent thing , a very great blessing , indeed . It makes every difficulty easy , and bears all wrongs with equanimity . For it bears a burden without being weighted and renders sweet all that is bitter . The noble love of Jesus spurs to great deeds and excites longing for that which is more perfect . Love tends upward ; it will not be held down by anything low . Love wishes to be free and estranged from all worldly affections , lest its inward sight be obstructed , lest it be entangled in any temporal interest and overcome by adversity .
Nothing is sweeter than love , nothing stronger or higher or wider ; nothing is more pleasant , nothing fuller , and nothing better in heaven or on earth , for love is born of God and cannot rest except in God , Who is above all created things .
One who is in love flies , runs , and rejoices ; he is free , not bound . He gives
shms . edu 11