Sacred Heart - Harurietis Aquas Meditation

Meditation on "Haurietis Aquas"
by Sister Jeanne Marie, C.P.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is very dear to me. I pray often to ask Him to make my heart the dwelling place of His heart. I pray also for Him to cover me and my prayer intentions with His Precious Blood, which flows, as living waters of His love and mercy from His Sacred Heart.

Pope Pius XII (hopefully someday St. Pius XII) has greatly enriched my contemplation of this mystery of Jesus.

As much as I love Scripture, I had not really delved into the Old Testament in relation to the Sacred Heart. Our Lord is so evidently everywhere in the Old Testament (the New Testament - Jesus - is concealed in the Old Testament and the Old Testament revealed in the new - St. Augustine), but I had not seen or looked for Him there in the mystery of His Sacred Heart. I am indebted for the way Pope Pius XII opened this up for me.

All that God did in the Old Testament was from His tremendous love for His people. What happened there also occurred again in the New Testament, but not with the sacrifice of animals. The Precious Blood of our Spotless Lamb flowed from His Sacred Heart in his wondrous love for us.

For how very long has He shown us His love in every possible way; He has saved us from our folly for centuries; given us miracles for those who, like Thomas, would not believe without signs; taught us, spoken His Word to us, revealing His power, and at the same time His gentleness; even given His very life for us in torment and pain - and still we continue to hurt His heart of love with our sins.

O Jesus, wash me and cleanse me of my sins, my faults, my failings. Pour Your most Precious Blood, flowing from the depths of Your infinitely Sacred Heart upon me, that I may give all my love to You - and love and cherish You present in my sisters’ hearts also.

In this age in which we live, it is disturbing to see how devotions - such as the Sacred Heart - are ridiculed and put down, said to be part of the past. Unfortunately, many who say this are those sho should be shining examples of prayer for all - priests and religious. His heart is overflowing with love for His people, and so many turn away, searching for that love in wealth, power, "amusements", etc. Bur "our hearts remain restless until they rest in Thee" -St. Augustine).

His love is so powerful always, even when it is not recognized as love, such as when He points out my errors. He only punishes when He sees me veering down the wrong path, because He will not "stand idly by" and watch, but, in love, comes to save.

Jesus took on human flesh for our redemption, and took on also our human senses and natural affections, according to the Church Fathers. He experienced sadness, joy, the trials of life as I do, not because of necessity, as St. Augustine says, but freely out of compassion, so that he might transform in Himself His Body, the Church. He assumed all that He might sanctify all, and as John Damascene says "what was not assumed could not be healed"; and as St. Augustine so beautifully puts it "like a choir singing in harmony with the note that has been sounded, so should His Body learn from its Head". As Pope St. Pius XII pointed out so wisely, what riches I may glean from the writings of our Church Fathers. Christ put on all of our human nature, a nature He first had bestowed on us, to reflect His love in a human way - and His face revealed the emotions moving His heart.

I do indeed bring His Sacred Heart into contemplation, and can climb its "mystical ladder" to His embrace.What wonderful imagery and rich insights out Pope Pius gave to draw me more and more into that embrace - that fire of Divine Love in my Beloved Spouse.

That Heart of love gave Itself in total upon the Cross at Calvary. Greater love there has never been or ever can be. That beating heart stopped for me upon the Cross; the lance pierced His Sacred Heart for me; He willingly, lovingly gave Himself in humiliation and pain for me; He entrusted me to the maternal care of His Holy Mother; He was buried in a borrowed tomb for me. And yet - I sin - we all continue to sin. Even the great doctors and saints of our Church sinned.

But when I turn to Him in "wholehearted contrition" and beg His forgiveness, that tremendous, infinitely loving Heart gives it - and showers ever more love upon me.

When I come to the altar to receive His Body and Blood in Holy Communion from the hands of the priests He has called to His service, I reflect on the awesome humility My Lord and Savior radiates. How very much He loves me - us - to come to me in a tiny piece of Bread - which, in reality, is the treasure of the Bread of Heaven - God Himself in His infinite love. What a priceless gift, what love poured upon me! Not a symbol, not an image, but Love Itself - my Lord Jesus Christ, source of all goodness, the Lamb of God. His gifts are infinite in His love for us. He has sent His Holy Spirit and His divine charity to continue drawing us to Himself in love. With His gifts, nothing on earth can, or should come between me and His love.

Since both "the uncreated love of the Divine Word and also its human love" moved Jesus to give Himself in love for us upon the Cross, I should and do adore its origin and source - the Sacred Heart of my Lord and Savior. That love of Jesus without ceasing, day and night, eternally prays for us before His Heavenly Father.

There have been many outstanding saints and blesseds, foremost among them St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, who have enriched us with their writings to deepen our devotion to the Sacred Heart, and the wonderful feast in the liturgical calendar each year.

Contemplating His love for me - beating in His most Sacred Heart - draws me ever closer to Him. It moves me also to pray for so many people in the world - atheists, agnostics, those who have been led away from Christ’s Church, or those who have never known it, as well as those who persecute it - to experience the infinite love He has for them. Their hearts, too, are restless because they were made for Him, and they do yet know it. It is one of the prayers dear to my heart to bring all souls to Christ - to live in His love. May the Immaculate Heart of His mother pray with me that all may come to the Divine Furnace of His Sacred Heart - His blessings in infinite love.

She leads me to know Him and grow more deeply in love with Him each day.

I ask from His Sacred Heart the graces and virtues to grow in reflecting His love to my community, and to bring Him the love and delight He gives always to me.