The Scared Heart of Jesus.


The Sarced Heart of Jesus is a very important Solemity of the to priests and to anybody thinking about becominig a priest or even a religious. This devotion is important for us because it allow us to stay foucs on our call. A call that comes from God to help us to look after God's flock. Sometimes we can lose focus on that call of God.The prophet Ezekeil {Ch. 34:11-12} says: "As a shepherd keeps all his Flock in view when he stands up in the middle of his scattered sheep, so shall I (God) keep my sheep in view." The vocation to the priesthood is that of co-shepherd with God. This is why the great woman St. Teresa of Avila, reminds us that:"God has no hands but our hands to do his work today; God has no feet but our feet to lead others in his way; God has no voice but our voice to tell others how he died; and, God has no help but our help to lead them to his side."

Change is a word that has been procliamed from many political pupits today. Even our own resent electorial debates hear in Trinidad and Tobago was packed with the issue of change. Change in itself does not change anything. This can be so when change changes the core values of life. The celebartion of the Sarced Heart of Jesus even as we come to the close of the year of the priesthood, we have to ask ourself some serious question: What is the end of the priesthood? Many of the problems of the priesthood today can come from the fact that the focus on salvation can be less of a priority in the formation and the operations of the priesthood and religious life today.

When Dominican was in the process of puting the Order of the Preachers together he saw that the purpose of his brothers was that of "preaching and the salvation of souls". Further to this he added that: "the brothers must conduct themselves honorably and religiously as men (women) who want to obtain thier salvation and the salvation of others, following in the footsteps of the savior as evangelical men (women) speaking among themselves or thier neighbors either with God or about God."

This brings us the meaning of self-givig that puncturates the Priesthood and Religious Life today. Keeping the memory of salvation alive is our vocation. The man referred to in the Gospel of Luke 15:3-7 is the genisis of our call today. "Rejoice with me," says the Lord "I have found my sheep that was lost."

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