Friday 27 June 2025 – Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Year C)
(The
World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests)
Mass Readings:
Ezek 34:11-16 Ps 23 Rom
5:5b-11 Lk 15:3-7
Key Verse to Meditate:
What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does
not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and go after the one which is
lost, until he finds it? (Lk 15:4).
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
Today we celebrate the
Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Heart of Christ stands as the
perfect symbol of divine love. This solemnity reveals to us the immeasurable
love of God for humanity. It is a heart that welcomed sinners, healed the sick,
and embraced the poor. The Heart of Christ did not condemn but invited all to
come to Him.
This is precisely what St.
John reveals in his Gospel: “For God so loved the world that He gave His
only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have
eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the
world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” (Jn
3:16–17).
Continuing this message in
his first letter, St. John affirms that God’s love for us was made manifest in
the person of Christ: “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God
sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is
love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the
atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 Jn 4:9–10).
First Reading
The first reading is taken
from the Prophet Ezekiel—often called the prophet of the Holy Spirit—whose name
means “God strengthens” (Ez 1:3; 24:24). Ezekiel was active during the
exilic period (593–570 BCE), a time marked by deep crisis, especially during
the reign of King Jehoiachin (2 Kgs 24:14). His ministry is framed by the
catastrophic fall of Jerusalem in 587 BCE, a turning point in Israel’s history.
Ezekiel's influence would also extend into the post-exilic prophetic tradition.
In today’s reading (Ezekiel
34), we encounter the rich biblical imagery of God as the shepherd—a theme that
directly parallels Jesus' teaching in John 10, where He declares Himself the
Good Shepherd. Ezekiel is repeatedly addressed as “son of man” (a title used 93
times), emphasizing his human weakness before the divine majesty of Yahweh.
Chapter 34 of Ezekiel is often titled “The Parable of the Shepherds.”
It has two major parts:
- Judgment
on the Bad Shepherds (34:1–10)
In the Ancient Near East, kings often referred to themselves as shepherds. This metaphor was also common in Israel. Jeremiah, for instance (Jer 2:8; 10:21; 23:1–3), used this image to condemn the corrupt leaders of Israel and to prophesy that Yahweh would raise up new shepherds after His own heart (Jer 3:15). There is a long and rich biblical tradition portraying God as the Good Shepherd (cf. Ps 23; Is 40:11; Jer 31:10; Jn 10:1–18; Zech 11:4–17). - God
as the True Shepherd (34:11–31)
Today’s reading comes from this second section (vv. 11–16), where God promises to shepherd His people Himself, seeking out the lost, binding up the injured, and strengthening the weak. In verses 17–24, God is further portrayed as the just judge and protector of the vulnerable. The chapter concludes with the promise of a “covenant of peace and prosperity” (vv. 25–31), the fruit of God's faithful shepherding.
The Gospel Reading
Today's Gospel text (Lk 15:3–7) and the following passage from Luke
chapter fifteen deal with numbers—one hundred sheep and ten silver coins. We
might wonder: what is the significance of the number one hundred sheep, and why
ten silver coins?"
Consider this: in the number one hundred, if one is
missing, it does not feel like ninety-nine—it feels like a double zero.
Likewise, if one of the ten silver coins is lost, it’s not just nine; it feels
like a single zero. This may be my mathematics, but I believe it is also God’s
logic. In God’s eyes, the one is important. The one lost sheep is still
valuable to the shepherd, and the one lost coin is still precious to the poor
widow.
This means that no one is dispensable to God—whether righteous or
sinful. Without the lost sheep or the lost coin, the ninety-nine and the nine
lose their meaning. The community is incomplete without the one who is missing.
Paradoxically, it is the lost who make the community whole again. It is not
just the righteous, but also the sinners, who bring completeness to the people
of God.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus twice tells us that there is more joy in heaven
over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous who need no
repentance (Lk 15:7,10). The Gospel passage presents the first two of three
parables found in Luke 15 under the theme “Lost and Found”—the parables of the
lost sheep and the lost coin. The parable of the prodigal son, which continues
this theme, is not included in today’s reading but is part of the same chapter.
Scripture scholars rightly say that Luke 15 is the heart of the Gospel,
for it reveals the heart of God. What stands out is the repeated theme: “lost
and found.” It is God who seeks the lost. It is God who finds. It is God
who rejoices. And it is God who invites the community to rejoice with Him.
God Seeks the Lost
Today's Gospel reminds us that it is God who seeks, finds, and
rejoices. For the Jewish leaders of Jesus' time, sinners were to be kept at a
distance. But Jesus breaks down that barrier and closes the gap between God and
humanity. His parables make it clear: the sinner is not to be neglected or
despised, but loved and approached.
The Gospel begins by stating that tax collectors and sinners were
coming near to listen to Jesus, while the religious leaders complained,
saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Lk 15:1–2). The
Pharisees and scribes distanced themselves not only from sinners but also from
Jesus because of His association with them. Man excludes, but God includes. Man
separates, but God draws near and restores.
The Love and Forgiveness of
God for Sinners
Luke chapter 15 contains three deeply moving parables:
- The
Lost Sheep (vv. 3–7)
- The
Lost Coin (vv. 8–10)
- The
Prodigal Son (vv. 11–32)
Each of these stories reveals the boundless love and mercy of God for
sinners. They begin with the Pharisees and scribes murmuring about Jesus
welcoming tax collectors and sinners. In the Judaic society of the time, these
people were branded as outcasts—something we should never do today.
Because of their rigid observance of the law, the Pharisees and scribes
saw themselves as morally superior and viewed others as sinners. But who gave
them that authority? In truth, they too were sinners. Jesus, without contesting
their labels, presents His messianic mission: “The Son of Man came to seek
out and to save the lost” (Lk 19:10; Mt 18:11). He is a different kind of
Rabbi—one who welcomes the sinner, the lowly, and the outcast. For Him, a
person is more important than any ritual impurity associated with contact with
sinners.
The Particular Love of God
for Every Person
In response to the self-righteous attitudes of the religious leaders,
Jesus reveals the particular love of God for each individual, especially
the so-called sinners. While the sinners draw near to listen, the religious
leaders remain distant, judging Jesus and those who come to Him.
To God, every person is important—like the one lost sheep or the one
lost coin. God does not rest until the one is found. That’s the depth of His
mercy.
The Significance of
"Hundred and Ten"
In both parables, there is no cessation in the search until the lost is
recovered. In the parable of the sheep, it may be that the sheep wandered off
on its own—but the shepherd still goes in search (Ps 119:176). In the parable
of the coin, it is the woman who misplaces it, and she bears the responsibility
of finding it.
Notice the shift: from man to woman, and from sheep to coin. But the
conclusion of both stories is the same—joy upon recovering what was lost.
God is truly delighted when a sinner repents.
The shepherd rejoices to count his flock again as a full hundred. The
woman rejoices at having all ten coins again—perhaps even sparing herself the
embarrassment of explaining the loss to her husband, as one coin may have
equaled a day’s wage.
These numbers—hundred and ten—represent fullness. And this joy is
not private. The entire community is invited to celebrate. The community does
not rejoice in the loss of its members but celebrates their return and
repentance.
Points for Personal
Reflection
This feast, in simple terms, reveals the profound humanity of Christ.
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, who had a deep devotion to the Sacred Heart,
received multiple apparitions of Jesus between 1673 and 1675. The Basilica
of the Sacred Heart at Paray-le-Monial in France was built in honor of
these visions. St. Margaret Mary lived and died at the monastery adjacent to
this basilica.
Three streams gush forth from the Divine Heart of Jesus: mercy toward
the sinner, charity toward the needy, and love and light for the righteous.
Jesus’ heart is the supreme symbol of God’s mercy—a living symbol that
represents the very center and source from which salvation flows for all
humanity.
Blood and Water from the
Side of Jesus
In the Gospel of John, we read that when a soldier pierced Jesus’ side,
blood and water flowed out:
“One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood
and water came out. He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe.
His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.” (Jn
19:34–35)
St. John also writes in his first letter that by giving us His Sacred
Heart full of love, Jesus has given us His Spirit:
“By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given
us of His Spirit.” (1 Jn 4:13)
And again, in today's second reading, we hear the great truth:
“God is love. Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from
God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love
does not know God, for God is love.” (1 Jn 4:7–8, 16)
The Heart: A Symbol of Love
The feast of the Sacred Heart reminds each of us of the human side of
God. God took on a human heart. Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.” (Mt 5:8)
The heart of Jesus experienced pain, anger, compassion, and suffering.
That is why we call it the Sacred Heart. When we say someone has a
wicked or stony heart, we mean they act in ways contrary to love. But Jesus
invites us into the gentleness of His own heart. In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus says: “Come
to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in
heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.” (Mt 11:28–30)
Only Jesus has promised true rest for the weary human heart. And He
makes this promise as God. That’s why St. Augustine could confess: “You
have made us for Yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they rest
in You.”
Only the Heart of Christ can free my heart from the burdens of sin and
guilt. Jesus has perfect knowledge of the Father and alone can lead us to the
loving heart of God.
Personal Questions for Reflection
- Do I
judge others?
- When
I judge, do I follow the mercy and kindness of God?
- Do I
actively seek and restore what has been lost in my family, in my personal
life, and in society?
- Do I
realize that no amount of faults or failures on my part can stop God’s
loving search for me?
- Only Jesus can lift the burden of sin and hopelessness from my life. Do I submit myself to His guidance and grace?
This
solemnity reminds us that in Jesus, the Good Shepherd, we encounter the very
heart of God—a heart full of compassion, mercy, and sacrificial love. May our
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus inspire us to live in love, seek out the
lost, and build communities rooted in God’s justice and peace.
In conclusion, the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a heart
that seeks, forgives, restores, and rejoices. It is a heart that values each
individual, especially the lost. Let us, too, adopt this heart—welcoming,
forgiving, and rejoicing in the return of our brothers and sisters to the fold
of God. It is the love of Christ that finds us and restores us. It is Christ
the Lord who seeks out the lost.
