The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus invites us to immerse ourselves in the depths of divine love, finding in it our refuge and the source of our Hospitality. As Hospitallers, we recognize ourselves today in the metaphor and symbolism of the heart, which represents the unconditional love of God.
This love was revealed on June 16, 1675, when Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French nun of the Visitation Order. In that vision, the Heart of Jesus was surrounded by flames of love, manifesting His ardent desire that all humanity experience the comforting warmth of His merciful love. This apparition marked a milestone in devotion to the Sacred Heart, spreading a message of love and mercy that has endured through the centuries.
This most Sacred Heart has accompanied us on our journey as the Congregation of the Sisters Hospitaller of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and has also accompanied the entire Hospitaller Family for 143 years. It is our primary source: to speak of hospitality is for us to speak of a project with HEART, in which we seek to give ourselves and be an unconditional welcome for all our brothers and sisters who suffer and need us.
We invite you to reflect on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and its intrinsic relationship with our hospitality project in the following video created and voiced by our pastoralist Danilo Luis Farneda Calgaro.
Today, more than ever, let us renew our hearts so that, in the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we may be builders of hospitality in our land. May our every action and gesture reflect the love and mercy of Christ, making the world a more compassionate and hospitable place.
