Sacred Heart Church – Railway Colony – Madurai

The First Gift of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

On this first Friday of the month, when we begin the nine First Fridays devotion, let us consider the first gift of Jesus to us: ‘the forgiveness of our sins.’

The word ‘forgiveness’ has ‘given’ in it. ‘Forgiveness’ is what is ‘given’ ‘for’ us; it is a ‘gift’ to us. This gift opens our path towards God. All other gifts are built on this first great gift. The ‘forgiveness’ or ‘pardon’ does not mean that ‘he will forget all our sins.’ It is not a passive cancellation of our ‘sin’ account, but it is an active time of new creation. Through forgiveness new life is infused in us; and this new life is the grace of the Holy Spirit. Here begins the new life. Here begins the new beauty of life, which is free from ingratitude, bitterness, boredom, self-contempt, contempt of others and above all of God.

The Psalmist exclaims: “He forgives all your iniquity, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the Pit, crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, satisfies you with good as long as you live, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps 103:3-5). The generous and faithful act God the Father reveals in Jesus Christ. It is not that we have come close to God, but it is God who has come close to us in the person of Jesus; it is not that we have loved him, but he has loved us first (Cf. 1 Jn 4:10). The love of God that is revealed in Jesus Christ is like a sea; more and more we enter there more and more we discover.

Saint Paul, making it a personal experience, beautifully expresses: “He has loved me and has given himself up for me” (cf. Gal 2:20). When we are forgiven by God, we learn to forgive others; when we are welcomed by Him, we welcome others. Thus, “we love because he has loved us first” (cf. 1 Jn 4:19). A good spiritual exercise will be to forgive everyone who has done evil to us. Standing before the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, in the heart of our hearts let us say to that person, “I forgive you.” The heart of Jesus not only gives us the gift of forgiveness, but also enables to forgive others.

Fr. Devadass Pankaraj
Parish Priest