The Gospel for the solemnity of the most sacred Heart of Jesus is taken from John 19:31, 37th verse. Since it was preparation day in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the Sabbath. For the Sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when he came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers thrust his lance into his side and immediately blood and water flowed out.

An eyewitness has testified and his testimony is true. He knows that he is speaking the truth. So that you also may come to believe. For this happens so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled. Not a bone of it will be broken. And again the passage says, they will look upon him whom they have pierced.

It’s hard to determine how many times throughout the Old Testament that the things that happened to Jesus were predicted. But what’s fascinating about it all is that when we look at the work of Scripture, we have to understand everything in it was directed to this moment in the history of of the world when the God who created us entered the world and died for us. It’s the heart of all of the Scriptures. And when we lose it, when we get caught up in so many of the historical contexts of Scripture, we are losing the most important truth. God became one of us and now lives within us. Please ponder this reflection, and I will close with a prayer.

Father, we trust in the beauty of Scripture. We trust in its wisdom. But we know that it’s difficult to interpret it. So we pray that you will give us the wisdom to see always the heart of what you are teaching a God who loves so deeply that he would die for us. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.