Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Traditionally the heart has been a symbol of love.  In former times when a young man wanted to express his love for a young woman he drew a heart and placed his and her initials within the heart that was pierced by an arrow from Cupid.  This symbol appears in some manner on the back of the Miraculous Medal on which we find the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Sacred Heart of Mary.

My attention is drawn to two details:

1. Both hearts are crowned with a tongue of fire.  This suggests to me the passionate love of every one of Jesus’ disciples … the love of believers and the love of young people who follow Christ is truly a passionate love, a love in which these individuals hand themselves over to Christ, a love that is not reduced to empty words but a love which is proven by the manner in which people live their life … proven by their actions and gestures.
2. The second detail is the crown of thorns on the heart of Jesus and the sword that is piercing the heart of Mary.  This makes me think that the love of every one of Jesus’ disciples is a love that involves self-surrender and sacrifice.  The love of Christ on the cross is the greatest sign of love because Jesus offers his life so that we might have life with him.  Mary’s love, which is revealed in the handing over of her life to the word and in her fidelity to the word, reminds us that this is the attitude of the disciples of Jesus who believe in the word of God and practice this word even at the cost of their own life.

During this month we celebrate the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary and this provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our own love.  Do we love in the same way that Christ loved?  Is our love unconditional?  Does our love lead us to a daily offering of self to God?  Is our life like that of Mary, a love that is expressed in fidelity to the Word of God? Expressed in obedience to God’s plan? Expressed in obedience to God commandments?

May the love of Jesus and Mary strengthen our journey as members of the Vincentian Marian Youth Association!