Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary: A Model Of Heart

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Saturday of 10th Week, Year 1 and the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, June 12th, 2021
Texts: 2 Cor. 5:14-21; Ps. 103:1-4, 8-9, 11-12 ; Luke 2:41-52
Today's Memorial is celebrated on the Saturday immediately the celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This shows the closeness of the Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the Heart of Jesus. It is the Heart that is full of the love of Jesus. The word of St. Paul, in today's first reading, is applied to her: "The love of Christ urges us on". The love of her Son urged her on. The search for Jesus, in today's gospel reading, confirms the love. The search brings to mind the word of the Scripture: "On my bed at night I sought the man who is my sweetheart: I sought but I could not find him! So I shall get up and go through the city; in the streets and the squares, I shall seek my sweetheart. I sought but I could not find him! I came upon the watchmen - those who go on the rounds in the city: 'Have you seen my sweetheart?' Barely had I passed them when I found my sweetheart"  (Song 3:1-4). Blessed Virgin Mary was urged on by love in her search for Jesus.
If we are to be pure in heart  like Blessed Virgin Mary, we need to allow the love of Jesus to urge us on. This is possible if we are dead to ourselves and live for Christ. St. Paul puts it thus: "The love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore, all have died. And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." The love of Christ must be the reason for our actions. If we are to speak, it should be the love of God that urges us to speak. If we are to act it should be the love of Christ that urges us to act.
Our desire and efforts to know Jesus Christ better each day is a search for him. Blessed Virgin Mary continue to seek to understand Jesus Christ by pondering on events in the life of Jesus Christ. In the gospel, it is said, "and his mother kept all these things in her hear." To make our hearts pure we have to meditate on the events of the life of Jesus Christ. Praying of Rosary helps here. Hence, we are to pray our Rosary daily. We are to also meditate o God's word, the scripure. By reading and meditating on God's word, we keep our hearts pure.

Lord our God, we thank You for Your love that urges us on to do good and to search for You; grant that we may be pleasing to You. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke