Christmas is magical for children. At least, it was for me. The anticipation was almost more than my little heart could take.
Among all the decorations on the tree, one unique “ornament” always captured my attention more than any of the others. It had a prominent place among the trimmings and when all the lights were out, it glowed green in the dark. Of course, its luminescence would fade away in time.
What also struck me about this ‘ornament’ is that it was more like a statue and it was of Jesus with his heart sticking out of his body. That freaked me out a little.
How could a heart live outside the body?
My mother enlightened me. This was a depiction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and His heart was visible for all the world so that we could receive His love. I didn’t fully understand it, but the idea that it was an expression of love made sense to me because on Valentine’s Day, we always offered hearts to friends and family. That was my introduction to this profound devotion.
More was revealed to me about the Sacred Heart through my grandmother. When I informed her of my decision to enter the seminary, she indicated that she and her ‘chum’ would be praying for me.
She had been a widow for 16 years already, and so I wondered who this special man might be. She promptly shared that for much of her life she had had a devotion to Jesus and His Sacred Heart, her ‘chum’. It was my first time hearing about the impact the Lord had on my grandmother, and I was intrigued and fascinated. This was the beginning of my own devotion to the Sacred Heart.
What first moved me in the depiction of the Sacred Heart was the rays that emanated from the heart. It spoke to me of God’s love radiant and beautiful. A love that beckoned the world back to God, and comforts those that receive Him. A flame that warms the downcast. The image offered me peace.
As time went by, I noted more clearly the cross, the crown of thorns, and the pierced heart in the image. It guided me to a deeper reflection of Christ’s sacrifice for the sake of love. It helped me see that true love is always sacrificial and that Jesus? love was willing to endure the depth of sin and separation.
All this so that humanity might enter a new relationship with God, a relationship not marked by humanities effort but a participation in the relationship the Son enjoys with the Father. The triumph of Divine Love allows us to participate in eternal life. Only God could offer such a gift, and all this through His Sacred Heart.
There is so much more to say about Divine Love but this is not the place to offer more. Rather, I encourage you to look at Pope Francis’ Last Encyclical Letter, Dilexit Nos. It truly is a gift to the Church.
One last thing to ponder. Never fear to offer a bit of your faith to someone else. A simple expression of belief can change someone else’s life.
Had my grandmother not shared her experiences with this remarkable ‘man’ in her life, I might not have reflected on the unique relationship that the Sacred Heart provides to humanity, and my priesthood would be somewhat diminished as a result. She offered me a small seed of faith, and it has grown ever since.
Let us do the same for others.
Fr. Sylvain Casavant, PSS is the Rector of St. Joseph Seminary. This article was first published in the fall 2025 edition of the Exiit Qui Seminat, the St. Joseph Seminary newsletter.
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