Second Station: Birth of Jesus

Pastel Painting by Sr. Angelica Shanklin

Second Station 

The Birth of Jesus

Heart of Jesus made visible in the child Jesus

We Adore you O Lord and we love You

-Because by Your Sacred Heart You have made manifest Your Love

While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,and she gave birth to her firstborn son.She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.-Lk 2:6-20

Reflection:

The Love of God which beats in this tiny heart is now visible to the world as Jesus is born and adored by Mary and Joseph, and then by the shepherds. They see this tiny infant and yet they see and know the Love of God through the words of the angels and the amazing child they encounter with faith.  The Heart of Jesus, the Love of God, is now not only dwelling among us, hidden in the womb of Mary, but visible and present for all to see.

Prayer:

Oh Tiny Sacred Heart of Jesus, help us to recognize Your Loving Presence among us

Stations of the Sacred Heart

Dear Friends,

I am excited to share with you  series of meditations which has been given approval by Bishop Mitchell Rozanski for public use.  These meditations are entitled the "Stations of the Sacred Heart".  Those who have already seen them have shared with me that they enjoy taking time with each station and so I will post one every Friday for the next 14 weeks.  We pray they will be a source of grace for you and ask your prayers as we seek to publish them in a printed format for public use.  When that format is available, we will be sure to let you know!

Journey with the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Scriptures to learn more fully the depth of the Love of God.  He desires to be loved and to find hearts ready and open to receive His Love. While every event in the life of Our Lord reveals some aspect of His Love, these 14 stations will serve as a clarifying lens to focus on the Sacred Heart.  As you pray and meditate with each station, try to focus on the Heart of Jesus to see, hear, feel, and understand what His Heart is experiencing in these moments.

First Station

The Incarnation

Love of God is made flesh in the physical Heart of Jesus

We Adore you O Lord and we love You

-Because by Your Sacred Heart You have made manifest Your Love

And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us… No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him -Jn 1:14, 18

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.… the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceiveda son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.-Lk 1:26-31,35-38

Reflection:

How can we see the love of God?  This mysterious love of total self-gift between the Father and the Son spirating into Holy Spirit?  This Love came to dwell among us as Jesus, but especially in His Sacred Heart.  It is here, at the Incarnation, as Mary says yes to the Angel’s question, that the Love of God, the Love of the Trinity, is made flesh in the tiny heart of Jesus being formed in the womb of Mary.  Take time to look at this Heart, hidden under the strong pulsations of the Immaculate Heart of His Mother.  Each tiny beat of this growing human organ expresses the fullness of Divine Love.

Prayer:

Oh Tiny Sacred Heart of Jesus, teach us the hidden power of Your Love

Happy Feast of St. Jane de Chantal

Today we honor our Foundress, St Jane de Chantal.  While her life is not as well known as our Holy Father Francis de Sales, she was a woman of great love.  Living as wife, mother, widow, and religious, she is able to understand the crosses and joys of many states of life.

One of the most remarkable aspects of her holy life was her spiritual darkness which lasted for 42 years and was unknown to all except her spiritual directors (St. Francis de Sales and St. Vincent de Paul).  A few of her sisters also received hints of this darkness in her correspondence, but most found her to be a model of joy and peace.

Let us follow her today as we pray her Act of Abandonment:

0 sovereign goodness of the sovereign Providence of my God! 

I abandon myself forever to Thy arms. 

Whether gentle or severe, 

lead me henceforth whither Thou wilt; 

I will not regard the way through which Thou wilt have me pass, 

but keep my eyes fixed upon Thee,

my God, who guidest me. 

My soul finds no rest without the arms 

and the bosom of this heavenly Providence, 

my true Mother, my strength and my rampart. 

Therefore I resolve with Thy Divine assistance, 

0 my Saviour, 

to follow Thy desires and Thy ordinances, 

without regarding or examining why Thou dost this rather than that; 

but I will blindly follow Thee 

according to Thy Divine will, 

without seeking my own inclinations. 

Hence I am determined to leave all to Thee, 

taking no part therein save by keeping myself in peace in Thy arms, 

desiring nothing except as Thou incitest me to desire, 

to will, to wish. 

I offer Thee this desire, 0 my God, 

beseeching Thee to bless it; 

I undertake all it includes, 

relying on Thy goodness, 

liberality, and mercy, 

with entire confidence in Thee, 

distrust of myself, 

and knowledge of my infinite misery and infirmity. 

Amen!