Hajja Salesjana

Inspired by the Virgin Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-56), the Visitandine Sisters would become imitators of the two dearest virtues of the Sacred Heart of the incarnate Word, meekness and humility . Gateway to the Paschal Mystery For Francis, the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the point of entry to the entire paschal mystery. This spirituality is conveyed in the painting of Francis by Enrico Reffo (commissioned for the Basilica by Bl. Michael Rua in 1896). Writing letters of spiritual direction, Francis’ gaze is fixed on the pierced heart of the crucified Christ, an enduring symbol of the loving intimacy of God who in Christ transformed suffering and death into life and who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, continues to do the same in us. Salesian Imagination around the Sacred Heart Francis begins his reflection on the Sacred Heart of Jesus withthe mystery of the Incarnation. Because Mary’s virginal heart was totally available to the workings of the Holy Spirit communicated by the divine Heart, “He who lived from all ages in the bosom of the eternal Father later became mortal in the bosom of his mother in time”. Francis ponders the workings of the divine Heart and the human heart through various images.He describes Jesus’ two natures (human and divine) as “a nuptial kiss”, a symbol for the union of the human and divine Heart. This “consummation” or union of the divine Lover (God) and the Beloved (the humanity of Jesus) is accomplished in the bed of the body. The divine Heart of God in Christ’s own human heart is the “fountain of living water, dew or rain come down from heaven”. It is “the fire from heaven with its most powerful qualities of love”. He refers to the fruitfulness of this indwelling divine love in the human heart of Jesus as “the living Fountain of Jacob”. Finally, God’s Heart is the source (womb) and sustainer (breasts) of life, the underlying power that sends Christ into the world. Jesus is sent by the Father to bring humanity to fullness of life, which is a life guided by love towards love, which renders men and women capable of deep, intimate union with Divine Goodness. For Francis then, the Heart of Jesus has a dual role: it is the divine/human womb which gives spiritual birth and nourishment, and it is the human means of access to the Heart of God. Humility & Meekness: Essential Virtues In his sermons, Francis insists that this intimate union with God is impossible without the human virtue of humility. The practice of humility empties the heart to receive charity. Meekness towards one’s neighbour, founded on love, results in the practice of mercy, a word which by its very etymology (miseri-cor-dia) connotes the heart. Mercy preserves the heart from reacting adversely to any injury inflicted on it by others… and predisposes it to interiorize the attitude of the crucified Jesus, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34). Bearing with the imperfections of our neighbour is one of the key aspectsof the love revealed by Jesus on the Cross. Pierced and broken for love’s sake, his Heart was full of tenderness for humanity, including those who caused his death. A Heart stripped of every human desire beating only to fulfill God’s will Francis, contemplating the Heart of Christ crucified, teaches that self-renunciation or 27 hajja Ottubru - Diċembru 2022 hajja