The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-01-30
THE SACRED HEART THE MODEL
FOR ALL HUMAN HEARTS.

generations: those who were once
friends, butt who for some cause, often
trifllng, become enemies, have gone.
down to the grave, unforgiving, unfor-
given. A father will cast out from his
heart, his home, n child who acts in
opposition to his wishes, will shut his
ears and steel his heart against that
childs prayer for forgiveness. He will
allow q son, q daughter, once fondly
cherished, to starye, rather than hum
BILE himself by retracting the words
spoken in anger so long ago.
A mother has been known to refuse
to visit q son, once the idol of her
life, when he lay on his death-bed,
simply because he had followed the
dictates of his conscience with regard
to religion.
~ The Law of the Gospel.
Now, everywhere throughout the
Gospel, we find the law Of forgiveness
of injuries most emphatically enforced.
Unless we forgive others we shall not
he forgiven our own transgressions.
And how numerous are there trans
gressions. Our Divine Lord tells us:
IF, therefore, thou offer thy gift at
the altar, and there thou remember
that thy brother hath anything against
thee; leave there the offering before
the altar and go first to be reconciled
to thy brother; and then coming thou
shalt offer thy gift
Every day we repeat those words
dictated to us by Our Lord Himself:
Forgive us our trespasses as we for
give those who trespass against u.s."
How can we pray this prayer if in our
hearts we cherish revengeful feelings,
if we do not forgive those who have
injured or offended us. Are we not
rather invoking a malediction on our
own heads by making this prayer with
an unforgiving heart? Again, Jesus
tells us: Love your enemies: do good
to them that hate you; and pray for
them that prosecute and calumniate
you. That,you may be the children of
your Father, Who is in heaven"
st. Paul says to us: 'Bless them
that persecute you e. 4. to no man
rendering evil for evil'' And, again,
he enioins us:-s sFeeveHge metz yeur1
selves for it is written: Re-
venge is mine, | will repay, saith the
Lord. But if thy enemy be hungry,
give him to eat; if he thirst, give him
to drink"
Once more the same Apostle exhorts
IFS to forgive others: And be We kind
to one another; merciful, forgiving one
another, even as God hath forgiven
you in Christ
If we would be true Christians, il we
would merit forgiveness for our sins,
we must Danish all bitterness, all
luminosity from our hearts; we must
forgive, really and in all truth and
sincerity; those who have injured or
offended us.
The Forgiving Heart of Jesus.
We say that we love the Sacred
Heart. We wish to be numbered
amongst the friends, the lovers OF Je-
sus But, whilst we cherish any feel
ing of revenge, Of bitterness, whilst
we refuse to forgive from our hearts
all Who have injured us, never can we
call ourselves the friends Of Our Df.
vine Saviour, Who forgaye His MUIR
derers as He hung dying on His cross,
and pleaded for their. forgiveness with
His Eternal Father; nay, more, made
excuses for them.
~. The Sacred Human Heart Of Jesus
is our Model in all things. Let us,
= then, draw near to Calvary and learn
from the example of that most merci.
:. full Heart how we are to treat those
who have wronged us or injured us.
Father, forgive them, for they know
rot what they dol" All! surely with
these words of the dying Saviour ring.
ing in our ears, we shall not dare to
cherish feelings of vindictiveness, to
refuse to forgive, Jesus, the Man-God
the All-Holy One, dying in unutterable
torments, pardons the guilty wretches
who have crucified Him, excuses them
and pleads for their forgiveness with
His Father in Heaven. And we, miser
able sinners, shall we refuse forgive,
ness to our enemies? All, no! Let us
kneel at the foot of the Cross, and
there let US tell our dying Lord that
henceforth and for ever !. we shall
banish from our hearts all unkindness
s all bitterness, all rancour; that we
pardon wholly and unreservedly those
who have injured us, no matter how
deeply that not alone DOVE pardon
them but that we are ready and will
ing TO do them good, to succour them
in their need. Never again shall We
know what it is to cherish enmity
towards anyone.
Acknowledging the mercy OF The
Sacred Heart by which our countless
sins have been forgiven, in all humility
let us offer this utter surrender of al
vengeful feelings as an act of love and
reparation to that Heart so constantly
and so deeply wounded by sinners
Let us, resolve that we, at least, shall
.rever cause: that dearest, sweetes
Heart pang by our bitter, unforgiv
:; ing thoughts and actions. q
!. Let us do this, and the peace of the
Sacred Heart, that peace which
passeth all understanding. will inun
5; date our hearts, our souls. As W.
have forgiven those who injured US, 81
shall we ourselves be forgiven, ant
thus forgiven We shall attain to thl
possession Of those eternal Joys con