A few days ago, on Friday, June 11th, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart.  Devotion to the Sacred Heart is almost as popular and universal as the Rosary.  In our parish, the two statues located in the sanctuary are the Sacred Heart and Blessed Virgin Mary.  In the narthex, we have a statue of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (d. 1690), whose visions popularized the devotion.  Around our diocese, many towns have a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart: Corpus Christi, Sinton, Odem, Mathis, Falfurrias, Alice, Three Rivers, Rockport. 

  In Revelation is a vision of the Church as the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven as Christ’s Bride.  Marriage is the Sacrament that expresses this spousal love of Christ for his Church.  Jesus consecrates human love, transforming it into Christian love, by which he wants his followers to be known. 

    In each of his resurrection appearances, Jesus accomplished something for the establishment of the Church.  For instance, when appearing to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, first through the Scriptural conversation and then through the Breaking of Bread, Jesus revealed the structure of the Mass, which is the central way we encounter the Risen Lord Jesus to this day.  Last Sunday, we heard about the Resurrection appearance where Jesus gave the apostles the power of God to forgive sins.  In essence, he was establishing the sacrament of Confession, and the Church’s key mission of reconciliation. 

    In his Gospel, St. John says he wrote down many things (“signs”) that Jesus did, so that we may believe in him.  But he tells us, “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book” (Jn 20:30).  In fact, he says if we tried to write down everything, “I do not suppose the world itself could contain the books that would have to be written!” (Jn 21:25).