Evening Novena For Pope John Paul II

Sacred Heart Novena

-- Eighth Day

"Behold the heart that has loved men so much and that has been loved so little in return."

It is upon the second half of the Savior's statement that the loving Christian focuses his attention.

We have known always the love of God. We have tried not to remember the lovelessness of men and women.

With love for everyone and for everything, now as on the first Christmas, no love remains for Christ. With love walking in a thousand cheap disguises, as it did even during the climax of love on Calvary, love passes by without a nod to the victim of love.

That is why the Savior Himself asked loving souls for a little reparation.

"Make up," He pleads, "for the millions who do not love me."

"Tell me at least that you wish sinners would stop their sin, and the faithful in name would become faithful in fact, and the sins committed in the ugly travesty on love would cease to kill the human power of love."

"Consecrate yourself," He begs, "to my heart. Dedicate your homes and your children to my loving protection. Spend at least an occasional hour with me."

We consecrate ourselves to the loving Christ and say:

O God, who in the heart of thy Son, wounded by our sins, dost deign mercifully to bestow upon us the infinite treasures of thy love, grant, we beseech thee, that we who now pay Him the devout homage of our piety may also perform the duty of worthy satisfaction. Through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

Amen.