Devotion to the Sacred Heart every day: prayer of March 1st

Pater Noster.

Invocation. - Heart of Jesus, victim of sinners, have mercy on us!

Intention. - Repair the sins of your city.

MERCIFUL JESUS
In the Litanies of the Sacred Heart there is this invocation: Heart of Jesus, patient and of much mercy, have mercy on us!

God has all perfections and in infinite degree. Who can measure omnipotence, wisdom, beauty, justice and divine goodness?

The most beautiful and most comforting attribute, the one that best suits the Divinity and that the Son of God, making himself man, wanted to make more shine, is the attribute of goodness and mercy.

God is good in himself, supremely good, and he manifests his goodness by loving sinful souls, pitying them, forgiving everything and persecuting the misguided with his love, to draw them to himself and make them eternally happy. The whole life of Jesus was a continuous manifestation of love and mercy. God has all eternity to implement his justice; he has only time for those in the world to use mercy; and wants to use mercy.

The Prophet Isaiah says that chastisement is an alien work from the inclination of God (Isaiah, 28-21). When the Lord punishes in this life, he punishes to use mercy in the other. He shows himself angry, so that sinners will repent, detest sins and free themselves from eternal punishment.

The Sacred Heart demonstrates its immense mercy by waiting patiently in penance for misguided souls.

A person desirous of pleasures, only attached to the goods of this world, forget the duties that bind to the Creator, commits every day the many grievous sins. Jesus could make her die and yet does not do it; he prefers to wait; rather, by keeping it alive, it provides it with what is necessary; she pretends not to see her sins, in the hope that one day or another she will repent and can forgive and save her.

But why does Jesus have so much patience with those who offend him? In his infinite goodness he does not want the death of the sinner, but that he should convert and live.

As S. Alfonso says, it seems that sinners are competing to offend God and God to be patient, to benefit and to invite forgiveness. St. Augustine writes in the book of Confessions: Lord, I offended you and you defended me! -

While Jesus waits for the wicked in penance, he continually gives them the torrents of his mercy, calling them now with strong inspirations and with remorse of conscience, now with sermons and good readings and now with tribulations for illness or bereavement.

Sinful souls, do not be deaf to the voice of Jesus! Reflect that He who calls you will one day be your judge. Get converted and open the door of your heart to the heart of merciful Jesus! You, or Jesus, are the infinite; we, your creatures, are worms of the earth. Why do you love us so much, even when we rebel against you? What is man, with whom your heart cares so much? It is your infinite goodness, which makes you go in search of the lost sheep, to embrace it and caress it.

EXAMPLE
Go in peace!
The whole Gospel is a hymn to the goodness and mercy of Jesus. Let us meditate on an episode.

A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine; and he entered his house and took a seat at the table. And behold a woman (Mary Magdalene), known in the city as a sinner, having learned that he was at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar, full of perfumed ointment; and having stood behind her, with her tears, she began to wet her feet and dried them with the hair of her head and kissed her feet, anointing them with perfume.

The Pharisee who had invited Jesus said to himself: If he were a Prophet, he would know who this woman is who touches him and who is a sinner. - Jesus took the floor and said: Simon, I have something to tell you. - And he: Master, speak! - A creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Not having them to pay, he forgave the debt to both. Which of the two will love him most?

Simon replied: I suppose he is the one to whom he has been most condoned. -

And Jesus continued: You have judged well! Then he turned to the woman and said to Simone: Do you see this woman? I entered your house and you did not offer me water for my feet; instead she wet my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You did not welcome me with a kiss; while it, since it came, has not ceased to kiss my feet. Thou hast not anointed my head with oil; but it anointed my feet with perfume. This is why I tell you that her many sins are forgiven her, because she loved very much. But the one to whom little is forgiven, little loves. - And looking at the woman, she said: Your sins are forgiven you ... Your faith has saved you. It should be 'at peace! - (Luke, VII 36).

Infinite goodness of the most lovable heart of Jesus! She finds herself in front of the Magdalene, a scandalous sinner, she does not reject her, she does not reproach her, she defends her, forgives her and fills her with every blessing, until she wants her at the foot of the Cross, to appear first as soon as she is risen and to make her a great one. Santa!

Foil. Along the day, kiss the image of Jesus with faith and love.

Ejaculation. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!