A blessed Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a feast which has its origins in the early Middle Ages, when a renewed emphasis upon Christ’s humanity dawned upon the world, led by saints such as Bernard of Clairvaux and Francis of Assisi, on into the visions devotio moderna of Saint Mechtilde (+1298), Saint Gertrude (+1302) and, most of all, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (+1690). A Mass for the feast was instituted by Pope Innocent VI in 1353, and, prompted by the visionary nun Sister Mary of the Divine Heart, Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart on June 9, 1889, one day after her death. Pope Pius IX made the feastt universal in the Church in 1856; Pius X asked that the consecration of the world be repeated each year; and, Pius XII promulgated his encyclical, Haurietis aquas, on the Heart of Christ, on the hundredth anniversary of the feast, in 1956. We may see in the devotion to the Divine Mercy an extension of the Sacred Heart, that Christ’s mercy is real, and prompted by both His infinite divine and human love for each individual human person.
When we worship the ‘heart’ of Christ we are adoring Him, as He now exists in both a divine and human nature, united by His divine and eternal Person. As Catherine of Siena put it, the humanity of Christ is the bridge between heaven and earth, the access, if you will, to the Father and eternal beatitude with the Trinity.
One of the titles of Christ in the Eastern tradition is Pantocrator, literally, ‘He who has power over all things’, for nothing escapes the providential care of God. It is in this light that we should see the election results yesterday here in Ontario: The Conservatives under Doug Ford have won a majority, while Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals, beyond her own prediction of losing, received a trouncing, left with only seven seats, losing official party status. God will give politicians and all those with earthly power just enough slack to do His will (even if that be a punishment), and will yank it back when they have gone far enough. You would have now authority over me were it not give you from above. Ms. Wynne has done untold damage, from pornographic sex-ed to the hydro debacle, her tears and maudlin farewell (so much that is evil is done in the name of compassion) notwithstanding. Like other who have misused their authority, I hope this time out of power will give her time to reflect and prepare for eternity (although she did win her own seat back by the skin of her teeth).
In the meantime, we will see what Mr. Ford can do with the can of worms he has inherited. Make Ontario great again? Not for a while, and not without a lot of pain.
And while on authority the ‘G7’ (or G6 + 1, for various political reasons), the ‘Group of Seven’ largest economies (why Canada is included I know not), are meeting as I write in Lamalbaie, Quebec. Ah, the great ones of the world, at whom the Lord smiles knowingly. President Trump is leaving early, to meet with Kim Jong Un, and try to help solve the North Korean crisis. Who knows what might transpire, for behind the veil of all this pomp and circumstance, spiritual powers are at work, jostling for position, and for souls.
Meanwhile, hot molten rock and thick clouds of ash continue to cover the paradise of Hawaii, a fitting metaphor that what we see is not all that is there, and that under, and even the source of, the lush vegetation of the Pacific islands are prehistoric, antediluvian forces, of which we know all too little. And the great ones think they can control all of this, when even a simple rain shower is beyond them.
Rather, dear reader, trust in God, and in His Christ, and praise Him still.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.