June 12. Solemnity of the Sacred Heart. SEE. In apparitions to St Margaret Mary Alacoque Jesus showed her the depth of his love and begged her to promote greater love in the particular form of the Sacred Heart which has become a very well-known image – an earlier version of the Divine Mercy. Consecrating a home, Mass and communion on 9 consecutive 1st Fridays of the month were some of the requests, for which in return Jesus promised his own greater love and support. “I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who hold to this devotion the grace of final penitence.  They will not die in my disgrace, not without receiving the Sacraments.   My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.”  www.sacredheartdevotion.com.  Religious congregations, schools and the popular Sacred Heart sodality all have this image of Jesus as their patron.  On this day too learners at the multicultural Sacred Heart College participate in a special celebration with a focus on the merciful and forgiving love of God as experienced in their own faith communities.

JUDGE. Reflect, share. Scripture.  Let us love one another, for love is of God and he who loves is born of God and knows God.  The Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God. So we know and believe the love God has for us. 1 Jn 4:7-16.   Pope Francis:   In his encyclical Dilexit Nos Pope Francis reflected upon the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus Christ. We saw how Jesus identified himself with the lowest ranks of society and how with his love poured out to the end he confirms the dignity of every human being, especially when they are weak, scorned and suffering. DT 16.  Pope Leo:  God is merciful love, and his plan of love, which unfolds and is fulfilled in history, is above all his descent  and  coming among us to free us from slavery, fear, sin and the power of death. Addressing their human condition with a merciful gaze and a heart full of love, he turned to his creatures and thus took care of their poverty. Precisely in order to share the limitations and fragility of our human nature, he himself became poor and was born in the flesh like us.  DT16. 

ACT AND PRAY. Discover or rediscover devotion to the Sacred Heart as expressed by Pope Francis,  through Dilexit Nos.  

For JHB parishes. See you at AMOF, BOSCO centre 20 June 2026.