PEARLS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE FOR OUR LITTLE ONES

New Zealand Tablet, 25 February 1915, Page 61

PEARLS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE FOR OUR LITTLE ONES

By the Rev. M. J. Watson, S.J., Author of ‘ Within the Soul/ and ‘ The Story of Burke ' and Wills.’

' "Unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.’ — St. Matt, xviii. 3. ‘ [All Rights Resekved.] THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS. * Learn of Me because I am meek and humble of heart.’ —St. Matt. xi. 29. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is devotion to Jesus inflamed with, boundless love for men, that is, to Jesus calling our attention to His infinite love and setting His Heart before us as the symbol of that love. ‘ Behold,’ He said when He appeared to Blessed Margaret Mary and pointed to the Heart within His breast, ‘ Behold the Heart which so loved men, that it has in no way spared itself to show them the greatness of its love.’ The Heart of our Lord must not be regarded as a mere symbol, but must be worshipped with supreme adoration as the Heart of God, of God-made man, for the adoration does not rest in the Heart, but is referred to the Divine Person to Whom it belongs and from whom it can never be separated. That Heart is still alive in the Body of our Lord as He sits at the Father’s right hand in Heaven, and as He abides in the Blessed Eucharist for our consolation and help. . We should not make the mistake of representing to our imagination a heart existing by itself and, as it were, separated from the body : but we must, in praying to the Sacred Heart, always set before our mind our Blessed Lord and think of His Heart Beating in His breast and burning with most tender love for us. In this way all the prayers which we address to the Sacred Heart, will be prayers directed to our loving Jesus Himself, and will be easily understood and felt, no matter what may be their form. In a somewhat similar fashion, we can view, in the Gospel narrative, the love and compassion which Jesus showed during His life on earth, as proceeding from His Sacred Heart. Thus, when He once drew near the town of Naim and met a funeral procession in which a mother followed weeping for her only son, who was dead, His Heart was filled with pity and He stopped the bearers who carried the bier. He commanded the young man to arise, and changed the mother’s sorrow into joy by placing in her arms the son over whom she had wept as lost, but who was now so wondrously restored living from the dead. Whenever you have a grace or favor to obtain from our Lord, you make a powerful appeal by imploring Him through the love and compassion of His Heart to, grant your request. Let me give you an example to show how you should pray. A father had a son whom he loved very tenderly. This son was cast into prison and condemned to death for a crime. His father, who had in vain used every means to save him, determined at last to appeal to the King, whom he knew to be good and kind. When the man went to the palace, he was prevented by one of the courtiers from entering. * What do you want?’ ‘ I wish to present a petition to the King.’ ‘ Where is the petition? I will give it to the King.’ ‘ Oh, that would not do at all—l must see the King myself.’ The father was so earnest and pressing, that at last he was allowed to enter the King’s presence. He presented his petition and begged the monarch to grant him the life of his son. The King refused, saying that the young man had been tried and was justly condemned. Then the petitioner, breaking into tears, fell on his knees and, with uplifted hands,

"spoke thus: : ‘ O King, hear me and. grant me the. life -of my child. I appeal to the goodness; of thy heartthat heart which is full of love for thy-: subjects— that heart which is so kind, so tender 'in its compassion for the afflicted, so noble in all ijis feelings.’ And so he continued to pray till the King, moved at last with pity, spared his son and allowed him to go free. This is a good example of how you, my dearest, should pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Place yourself on your knees in our Divine King’s presence, and, like that afflicted father, appeal to the kindness, goodness, and pity of His Heart and all its other nobler feelings, and thus praying with reverence, confidence, and earnestness you will obtain what you ask. ' -•- Some persons have erred in saying that the devotion to the Sacred Heart is a soft and weak devotion.. It is, on the contrary, a devotion which is strong and manly, capable of filling us with energy, courage, and even heroism, because it makes our heart like our Blessed Lord s. The Heart of Jesus was, as we see it in the Gospel history, the manliest, bravest, and most heroic Heart that ever throbbed in human breast. When, after the Last Supper, He recalled to mind the Agony in the Garden and the ‘terrible torments and death He was about to endure, so far from shrinking in fear from what was before Him, His Heart embraced with heroic courage what His Father willed He should suffer for the redemption of men, and He cried to His Apostles, That the world may know that I love the; Father, and as the Father hath given Me commandment, so do I; arise and let us go hence.’ . And this example of His has inspired holy souls in every age to imitate that self-sacrifice and love of His Heart, and, like Him, to accomplish in spite of every trial the most holy will of God. .. - . •/ Once in the West of Ireland there was an eviction in the depth of winter. A number of poor persons were driven out of their homes and the houses were reduced to ruins. Among the people evicted was a very old couple, a man and his wife. The woman said: 1 Oh, what a misfortune ! Here am I without a roof to shelter my head, I who never refused shelter or food to any who begged for it!’ ‘Hush, my dear!’ said her husband, a fine old man, with white hair falling on his shoulders, ‘ do not complain ; keep in mind that the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ were worse than what we suffer.’ Those words of his sprang from a brave and faithful heart that imitated the noble courage of our Lord in doing God’s adorable will. If we, too, strive to become like to the Sacred Heart, we shall love the Divine Will and shall have strength and fortitude in adversity as well as in prosperity. Prayer to be Said Often. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. Hymn. I need Thee, Heart of Jesus; „ I need a friend like Thee— A friend to soothe and pity, A friend to care for me. i need Thee, Heart of Jesus, To feel each anxious care, To tell my every want, And all my sorrows' share. Sweet Jesus, keep me by Thee, Close by Thee all the day. And tho’ I would, permit me not From Thy loved side to stray. 4 Uphold me with Thy gentle hand. My tottering footsteps .guide; • . . . . And tho’ I fall ten thousand times, \'* * I’ll fear not but confide. : i- // c-V , '

A. i mi ■ And Thou wilt teach me—wilt Thou not Each duty to fulfil, . • And it shall be my sol© delight To do Thy gracious will. • ■' ", - And one request alone I make, > This recompense implore, - ’ By every thought, and word, and deed. ' To love Thee more and more.