Sacred Heart Lk 15:3-7

The feast of the Sacred Heart is a celebration of God's love, for each one of us. The greatest act of love in all creation is that act whereby the Son of God, who became man and part of our creation, offered to his Father and ours the greatest thing in all creation his own human life.

All through the Old Testament the prophets speak of God's love for his people. Ezekiel tells us that God said, "I am going to look after my flock myself. Hosea tells us that in spite of Israel's unfaithfulness God's constant love was near: "I will love them with all my heart", and again "l will fall like dew on Israel". This means that God gives refreshment and hope to those whose hearts are thirsting for him.

In just three words John sums up the history of Israel's encounter with God and his own experience with Jesus, whom he came to know as divine: "God is Love."

The love of God revealed in Jesus invites a response from us that will bring us to life in all its fullness. Jesus love and died for each and every person. We are all united with each other in one family of God. Therefore we must love all of God's children, especially those who are rejected by our society. If we really believed/that everyone shares in God's kingdom of justice and mercy, how different our actions and speech would be towards boat-people, asylum seekers, street-children, Aids-sufferers and drug-addicts!

God said in ages past "I have loved you with an everlasting love". He

calls anew in Jesus, "Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am

gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Let

us believe and hope in our Saviour's words and respond to him with

love.