Reading: 2Tim. 4:1-8; Ps. 71; Luke 2:41-51
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
DO YOU HAVE A HEART THAT PONDERS AND CONTEMPLATES ON THE LORD?
Biologically, the heart is the main organ in the circulatory system, the structure primarily responsible for delivering the circulation of blood and transportation of nutrients in all parts of the body. This continuous task uplifts the role of the heart as a vital organ whose normal operation is constantly required. In biblical language, “heart” indicates the centre of the person where his sentiments and intentions dwell. Yesterday we celebrated the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Heart where we embrace God’s infinite love and mercy for humanity and His will for universal salvation. Following the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Immaculate Heart of his Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Hence today, the liturgy invites us to venerate the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God the Father, her maternal love for her son Jesus, and her compassionate love for all people. Here we recall Mary’s great love for God, her faith and piety, her commitment to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, and how she loved her Son dearly from the moment before he was born, his finding in the Temple and even up to the way of the Cross, when Mary followed her Son faithfully as he picked up his Cross and bore that burden of the Cross to Calvary, she bears and pondered all this sorrows deep within her Immaculate Heart.
This is the event we celebrate today, of which our Gospel passage tells us how Mary having struggled to understand the mysterious events in the life of her Son Jesus, stored up all these events in her heart. A heart that is propelled by love and filled with genuine faith in God, a heart so pure and contemplative. For such is the immaculate heart of Mary, having been conceived without sin, and pure from any taints of evil and wickedness.
Yet, this loving and caring Immaculate Heart has to endure great sorrows and in the midst of these sorrows, she did not stop being loving, compassionate and caring to her Son and also to all of us, as she fulfils the mandate entrusted to her by Jesus at the Cross of Calvary saying: Mother behold your son and son behold your mother. By this mandate, all of us are blessed to have been placed under the maternal care of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a great saint and our role model.
Dear friends, do you have a heart that ponders and contemplates the Lord? For today we are called to imitate and embrace the Immaculate Heart of Mary, whose maternal care we have been commended by Jesus at the Cross of Calvary. We are truly fortunate to have received such abundant love and compassion from the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary his mother, who is also our loving mother.
Let us, therefore cultivate a heart that mirrors that of our mother, let us imitate the purity of her heart, and let us be caring, loving, contemplative and compassionate in our relationship with one another. So like St. Paul in our first reading today we can say: I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we imitate the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, graciously grant that through her intercession we may be a worthy temple of your glory and make our hearts a loving, caring and compassionate vessel for all through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.
