And so from the corporeal element —the Heart
of Jesus Christ— and from its natural symbolism, it is legitimate and just
that, carried on the wings of faith, we rise not only to the contemplation of
his sensible love, but even higher, to the consideration and adoration of his
most excellent infused love, and, finally, in a sublime and sweet flight at the
same time, until the meditation and adoration of the divine Love of the
Incarnate Word. In fact, in the light of faith —by which we believe that human
nature and divine nature are united in the Person of Christ— our mind becomes
capable of conceiving the very close ties that exist between the sensitive love
of the physical Heart of Jesus and his double spiritual love, human and divine.
Actually, These loves should not be considered simply as coexisting in the
adorable Person of the divine Redeemer, but also as united by natural bond,
inasmuch as the spiritual and the sensible human are subordinate to divine
love, both of which are an analogical representation of that. We do not pretend
with this that in the Heart of Jesus one has to see and adore what is called a
formal image, that is, the perfect and absolute representation of his divine
love, since it is not possible to adequately represent with any created image
the intimate essence of this love; but the faithful soul, when venerating the
Heart of Jesus, adores together with the Church the symbol and as the imprint
of divine Charity, which also came to love with the Heart of the Incarnate Word
the human race, contaminated by so many crimes. but also as united among
themselves by natural bond, insofar as the spiritual human and the sensitive
human are subordinated to divine love, both of which are an analogical
representation of the former. We do not pretend with this that in the Heart of
Jesus one has to see and adore what is called a formal image, that is, the
perfect and absolute representation of his divine love, since it is not
possible to adequately represent with any created image the intimate essence of
this love; but the faithful soul, when venerating the Heart of Jesus, adores
together with the Church the symbol and as the imprint of divine Charity, which
also came to love with the Heart of the Incarnate Word the human race,
contaminated by so many crimes. but also as united among themselves by natural
bond, insofar as the spiritual human and the sensitive human are subordinated
to divine love, both of which are an analogical representation of the former.
We do not pretend with this that in the Heart of Jesus one has to see and adore
what is called a formal image, that is, the perfect and absolute representation
of his divine love, since it is not possible to adequately represent with any
created image the intimate essence of this love; but the faithful soul, when
venerating the Heart of Jesus, adores together with the Church the symbol and
as the imprint of divine Charity, which also came to love with the Heart of the
Incarnate Word the human race, contaminated by so many crimes. both of which
are an analog representation of the former. We do not pretend with this that in
the Heart of Jesus one has to see and adore what is called a formal image, that
is, the perfect and absolute representation of his divine love, since it is not
possible to adequately represent with any created image the intimate essence of
this love; but the faithful soul, when venerating the Heart of Jesus, adores
together with the Church the symbol and as the imprint of divine Charity, which
also came to love with the Heart of the Incarnate Word the human race,
contaminated by so many crimes. both of which are an analog representation of
the former. We do not pretend with this that in the Heart of Jesus one has to
see and adore what is called a formal image, that is, the perfect and absolute
representation of his divine love, since it is not possible to adequately
represent with any created image the intimate essence of this love; but the
faithful soul, when venerating the Heart of Jesus, adores together with the
Church the symbol and as the imprint of divine Charity, which also came to love
with the Heart of the Incarnate Word the human race, contaminated by so many
crimes. since it is not possible to adequately represent with any created image
the intimate essence of this love; but the faithful soul, when venerating the
Heart of Jesus, adores together with the Church the symbol and as the imprint
of divine Charity, which also came to love with the Heart of the Incarnate Word
the human race, contaminated by so many crimes. since it is not possible to
adequately represent with any created image the intimate essence of this love;
but the faithful soul, when venerating the Heart of Jesus, adores together with
the Church the symbol and as the imprint of divine Charity, which also came to
love with the Heart of the Incarnate Word the human race, contaminated by so
many crimes.
The most complete profession of the Christian religion
29. Therefore, in this important and delicate matter, it is necessary to always bear in mind how the truth of natural symbolism, which relates the physical Heart of Jesus to the person of the Word, rests entirely on the primary truth of the hypostatic union ; about which there is no doubt, as long as one does not want to renew the errors condemned more than once by the Church, as contrary to the unity of the person in Christ —with the distinction and integrity of his two natures.
This fundamental truth allows us to understand how the Heart of Jesus is the heart of a divine person, that is, of the Incarnate Word, and that, therefore, represents and puts before our eyes all the love that He has had for us and still has for us. . And here is the reason why the cult of the Sacred Heart is considered, in practice, as the most complete profession of the Christian religion. Truly, the religion of Jesus Christ is founded entirely on the Man-God Mediator; so that one cannot reach the Heart of God except by passing through the Heart of Christ, according to what He Himself affirmed: «I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me» [107].
This being so, it can easily be deduced that the cult of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is substantially nothing other than the same cult of love with which God loved us through Jesus Christ, at the same time as the exercise of our love for God and other men. In other words: This cult addresses God's love for us, proposing it as an object of adoration, thanksgiving and imitation; In addition, it considers the perfection of our love for God and for men as the goal to be reached through the ever more generous fulfillment of the "new" commandment that the Divine Master bequeathed as a sacred inheritance to his Apostles, when he told them: "A I give you a new commandment: that you love one another, as I have loved you... My precept is that you love one another, as I have loved you» [108]. this commandment, truly new and proper to Christ; because, as Saint Thomas Aquinas says: «There is little difference between the Old and the New Testaments, since, as Jeremiah says, "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel" [109]. But that this commandment was practiced in the Old Testament out of holy fear and love, it was due to the New Testament; insofar as, if this commandment already existed in the Old Law, it was not as its own prerogative, but rather as a prologue and preparation of the New Law» [110]. it was due to the New Testament; insofar as, if this commandment already existed in the Old Law, it was not as its own prerogative, but rather as a prologue and preparation of the New Law» [110]. it was due to the New Testament; insofar as, if this commandment already existed in the Old Law, it was not as its own prerogative, but rather as a prologue and preparation of the New Law» [110].
And in truth, if the arguments on which the cult paid to the Wounded Heart of Jesus is based are duly pondered, everyone will clearly see how here we are not dealing with any form of piety, which is lawful to postpone others or have it in less, but rather of a religious practice very apt to achieve Christian perfection. If "devotion —according to the traditional theological concept, formulated by the Angelic Doctor— is nothing other than the willingness to dedicate oneself to everything that is related to the service of God"[111], can there be a more due and necessary divine service? , at the same time that more noble and sweet, than the one surrendered to his love? And what service can be thought more pleasing and affectionate to God than the homage rendered to divine charity and which is done out of love, since all voluntary service is in some way a gift, and when love constitutes "the first gift, by which all free gifts are given to us?" [112]. Therefore, that form of worship by which man is disposed to honor and love God to the highest degree and consecrate himself more easily and promptly to the service of divine charity is worthy of the highest honor; and this is all the more so since our Redeemer himself deigned to propose and recommend it to the Christian people, and the Supreme Pontiffs have confirmed it with memorable documents and have exalted it with great praise. And so, whoever despises this notable benefit that Jesus Christ has given to his Church, would proceed recklessly and perniciously, and would even offend God himself. of great honor that form of worship by which man is disposed to honor and love God in the highest degree and consecrate himself more easily and promptly to the service of divine charity; and this is all the more so since our Redeemer himself deigned to propose and recommend it to the Christian people, and the Supreme Pontiffs have confirmed it with memorable documents and have exalted it with great praise. And so, whoever despises this notable benefit that Jesus Christ has given to his Church, would proceed recklessly and perniciously, and would even offend God himself. of great honor that form of worship by which man is disposed to honor and love God in the highest degree and consecrate himself more easily and promptly to the service of divine charity; and this is all the more so since our Redeemer himself deigned to propose and recommend it to the Christian people, and the Supreme Pontiffs have confirmed it with memorable documents and have exalted it with great praise. And so, whoever despises this notable benefit that Jesus Christ has given to his Church, would proceed recklessly and perniciously, and would even offend God himself. and the Supreme Pontiffs have confirmed it with memorable documents and have exalted it with great praise. And so, whoever despises this notable benefit that Jesus Christ has given to his Church, would proceed recklessly and perniciously, and would even offend God himself. and the Supreme Pontiffs have confirmed it with memorable documents and have exalted it with great praise. And so, whoever despises this notable benefit that Jesus Christ has given to his Church, would proceed recklessly and perniciously, and would even offend God himself.
31. Assuming this, there is no longer any doubt that Christians who honor the most sacred Heart of the Redeemer fulfill the duty, certainly very serious, that they have to serve God, and that together they consecrate themselves and all their own activity, both internally as externally, to its Creator and Redeemer, thus putting into practice that divine commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" [113] . In addition, they thus have the certainty that in honoring God they are not moved by any personal, bodily or spiritual, temporal or eternal advantage, but by the goodness of God himself, whom they take care to present with acts of love, adoration and due Thanksgiving. If it were not so, the cult of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus would no longer respond to the genuine nature of the Christian religion, because then the man with such a cult would no longer have as his main aim the service of honoring divine love mainly; and then accusations of excessive self-love and self-sufficiency, motivated by those who misunderstand this most noble devotion, or do not practice it with all rectitude, should be maintained as just.
Everyone, therefore, have the firm persuasion that in the cult of the most august Heart of Jesus the most important thing does not consist in the devout external practices of piety, and that the main reason for embracing it should not be the hope of one's own usefulness, because even these benefits Christ our Lord has promised through certain private revelations, precisely so that men might feel moved to fulfill with greater fervor the main duties of the Catholic religion, namely, the duty of love and the duty of expiation, at the same time that in this way they obtain their own spiritual benefit in a better way.
spread of this cult
32. We exhort, then, all our children in Christ to practice this devotion with fervor, as well as those who are already accustomed to drinking the healthy waters that flow from the Redeemer's Heart, as, above all, those who, by way of of spectators, from afar they still look with a spirit of curiosity and even doubt. Let these think carefully that it is a cult, as we have already said, that has been rooted in the Church for a long time, that is deeply supported by the Gospels themselves; a cult, in whose favor Tradition and the sacred Liturgy are clearly in favor, and which the Roman Pontiffs themselves have extolled with praises as multiplied as they were great: they were not content with instituting a festival in honor of the most august Heart of the Redeemer, and then extending it to all church, rather, for their part, they took the initiative to solemnly dedicate and consecrate the entire human race to the same Most Sacred Heart [114]. Finally, it is also convenient to think that this cult has in its favor a harvest of spiritual fruits as copious as consoling, which have been derived from it for the Church: innumerable conversions to the Catholic religion, vigorously revived faith in many spirits, more intimate the union of the faithful with our most loving Redeemer; all these fruits that, especially in recent decades, have been shown in a way that is as frequent as it is moving. that have resulted from it for the Church: innumerable conversions to the Catholic religion, vigorously revived faith in many spirits, more intimate union of the faithful with our most loving Redeemer; all these fruits that, especially in recent decades, have been shown in a way that is as frequent as it is moving. that have resulted from it for the Church: innumerable conversions to the Catholic religion, vigorously revived faith in many spirits, more intimate union of the faithful with our most loving Redeemer; all these fruits that, especially in recent decades, have been shown in a way that is as frequent as it is moving.
Contemplating this admirable spectacle of the extent and fervor with which devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus has spread to all kinds of faithful, we certainly feel full of joy and ineffable consolation; and, after giving our Redeemer the obligatory thanks for the infinite treasures of his goodness, we cannot fail to express our paternal satisfaction to all those who, both clergy and secular elements, have cooperated so effectively in promoting this worship.
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