Date: June 20, 2020 ()

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We celebrate yesterday the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The comforting countenance of Jesus drawing our gaze to His Sacred Heart bids humanity welcome to rest in His love. Today, immediately we direct our attention to the Immaculate Heart of Mary the Blessed Mother of the Savior. These two hearts, that of a mother and of a child, are intimately linked and connected to one another that we also honor them just one day after the other. The Sacred Heart of Jesus pours in to the world the divine love in all its richness and beauty; while the heart of Mary receives and responds to that divine love in all humility, cooperation, and fondness to her Son.

Mary’s purity of heart follows her innate grace of having been immaculately prepared and conceived in view of being the Mother of the Redeemer. This is the beauty and wonder of the Immaculate Heart of Mary because Mary’s heart responds to the grace with pure willingness and willfulness to overcome the temptation of the serpent. Like every one of us, she is free to respond and yet throughout her earthly sojourn her heart remains unstained. Her heart is disposed and wholly preoccupied to loving the Son. We hear from the gospel today Mary’s deep concern in looking for Jesus when she lost him in her sight, Mary told Jesus: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety” and yet, her deep joy when she and Joseph found Him. And this her maternal affection overflows through us, her spiritual children.

Mama Mary is a great teacher to her Son. She is a great influence to Jesus both physically and spiritually. Part of that Sacred Heart of Jesus is the loving heart of Mary from whom Jesus was nurtured and nourished. If we allow ourselves to be enveloped by Mama Mary’s affection, she can be also a great influence to our person.

In Mary we have a model of one who generously loves God with undivided heart. In her consistent obedience and cooperation to the Father’s plan, she is able to crush the head of the serpent. There was never a single moment in her earthly life that she was carried away by the devil’s temptation. Mary is the fulfillment of that woman, the New Eve, prophesied to declare enmity against the serpent and trample its head. Let us serve the Lord like Mama Mary. Let us allow her to become a mother to us. Let her Immaculate Heart teach us.