12th June 2021
Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Ps. 103:1-2, 3-4.8-9, 11-12.
Lk 2: 41-52.
THE HEART OF MARY WANTS TO GIVE US
Dear Christians, yesterday we celebrated the solemnity of the sacred heart of Jesus that reveals God’s unconditional love for us. Today we celebrate the memorial of the immaculate heart of Mary that reveals her total love for God. When we talk of Mary’s heart we are not speaking of her physical heart but her inner life, personality and character. Her heart was immaculate in the sense that she had no trace of sin or self –centeredness. She lived for God surrendering to God’s purpose for her life. The preface used today in the mass defines what the immaculate heart of Mary was.
The preface reads, “You gave the Blessed Virgin Mary a wise and obedient heart, that she might perfectly carry out your will, a new and gentle heart in which you were well pleased and on which you inscribed the law of the new covenant. You gave her an undivided and pure heart that she might be worthy to be the virgin mother of your son and to rejoice to see you forever. You gave her a steadfast and watchful heart, so that she could endure without fear the sword of sorrow and await in faith the resurrection of her son” let us explore these words
1. Wise – she pondered and treasured everything in her heart.
2. Obedient – she had the heart that heard the word of God and keeps it, a heart that says, here I am lord to do your will. This transformed the world by bringing the savior into the world.
3. New – she had the heart that was the fulfillment of God’s promises through Ezekiel to give us a new heart that beats in
love.
4. Gentle – she had the heart that learnt from his son, who says,“Learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart”.
5. Undivided - she had the heart that seeks above all God’s kingdom as the pearl of great price worth everything else.
6. Pure – she had the heart that sees God, a heart full of God with no room for sin.
7. Steadfast- she had the heart that perseveres as we see in the seven sorrows which culminated at the foot of the cross of her son.
8. Vigilant – she had the heart that awaited son’s resurrection with faith and hope and awaits our response to God’s graces until we, by God’s mercy, come to be with her forever.
Dear Christians this is the heart Mary want to give us, which was an imitation of the sacred heart of Jesus, her son. We welcome her heart by protecting our hearts from assaults of the enemy, the evil one. We need to protect our hearts from cold indifference, lack of belief in God and profound hatred of others etc. Let us ask for her intercession, that God may grant us the graces to guard our heart from the evil one, and that we may always reveal our love for God by remaining pure. Amen
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