The Sacred Heart of Christ

Behold this Heart which loves so much yet is so little loved. My beloved, My child, My dear little one, My Heart is yours.

This image came to me one evening when I was looking for an image of the Sacred Heart that really spoke to my own heart. No image I could find really satisfied my spiritual thirst, so I pulled out my sketchbook, pencil, and eraser and just started to draw. This image is the result. As I drew, I began to cry; the image appearing on my paper was not from me, but from God. I felt His immense love for me as the form of my Lord came together on the white page. When I was done, I took it to prayer and Jesus led me through the short meditation I am about to share with you.

You find yourself before Jesus as He appears in this image. First, you notice that He is looking down. He looks sorrowful. You also note His exposed chest, and you are struck by the vulnerability. Jesus is vulnerable. He holds nothing back. He bares His Sacred Heart for you with no reserve. He is an intimate lover. He wants you to have His Heart, so He gives it freely. He exposes Himself to the possibility of being rejected, hurt, and attacked. But this also means that He exposes Himself to the possibility of being loved and consoled.

This is why He looks sorrowful. He is pensively and tenderly exposing His most Sacred Heart to you. He loves you. This is what He is thinking as He exposes His bare chest and Sacred Heart:

“Behold this Heart which loves so much yet is so little loved. My beloved, My child, My dear little one, My Heart is yours.”

This is the face and the posture of a Man who willingly takes blow after blow with humility and meekness because He does not want to take away the offer of Salvation through His Sacred Heart.

His clothing is simple, yet elegant and soft. The cloak He wears is a deep red like His Blood, and the garment slung around His Body is white, so thin that you can see the tone of His skin underneath its neat pleats and folds. He stands in a warm darkness, the light of the Father shining on His Beloved Son.

Jesus stands, exposed and vulnerable like a spouse in the bedroom. He wants to give Himself totally to you. He stands gently, with His hand offering His Heart to you. Looking at Him makes you feel like your own chest is exposed. Your heart is speaking directly to His.

You look closer into His face and you see that He is crying. It is not a sad or dramatic crying, but a quiet crying full of love. You realize that He is crying because He does not know how else to express His unfailing and burning love for you. His love for you burns Him. He wants to give it to you. You approach Him silently, reverently, and compassionately. He says these words to you: “Child, drink from My Well of Salvation. Drink My Blood. Drink, and live.”

You are reminded of the pelican. You are hungry and need to be satisfied. You are dying and your Lover has just given you His Food. He keeps repeating those words, looking deep into your eyes with His own, loving, sorrowful, tender eyes.

You kneel down and lift your head, opening your mouth to receive the drops of Blood falling from His pierced Heart.