Sixth Promise of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: “Sinners will find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.”

 "The Sixth Promise of the Sacred Heart of Jesus offers us profound and comforting assurance: "Sinners will find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy."

This promise speaks directly to the boundless compassion of Jesus and His ceaseless desire to draw all people into His loving embrace. As we reflect on this promise, we can delve into the depths of His mercy and the transformative peace it brings to our lives. There are two parts to this promise—Jesus is our source of mercy; and the infinite ocean of mercy that we are invited to abide within throughout our entire earthly lives. As Christians, we receive forgiveness and abundant life.

The first part of the promise reveals that the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the ultimate source of mercy. This mercy is not simply a superficial gesture but comes from the very core of His being—His Sacred Heart. The word used in Koine Greek for compassion, splagchnozmai, suggests a deep, visceral empathy that emanates from the innermost part of Jesus' soul. His compassion is not a mere feeling of pity; it is a profound, heartfelt concern that moves Him to action, reaching into the very depths of His heart and reaching out to us.

Jesus is not distant or indifferent toward our suffering. On the contrary, He seeks out sinners with the intention of saving them. This theme is echoed in the writings of St. Paul, who reminds us in Romans 3:23-24, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus." Jesus actively pursues redemption for each of us by seeking us out, offering us forgiveness, and restoring us to a right relationship with His Father.

This mission is beautifully illustrated in the Gospel of Matthew (9:35-36), where we read, "Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Jesus' heart is the source of mercy for those who are lost and burdened by sin. As the Good Shepherd, He goes after the lost sheep, bringing them into His fold and offering them not only forgiveness of sins but also guidance, comfort and protection.

The second part of the Sixth Promise speaks of the immense and uncontainable mercy that flows from the Sacred Heart. Jesus does not merely offer mercy at a distance; He draws us near to Him, to experience the fullness of His love and peace. This is a call into an intimate relationship with Jesus, where we are held in His embrace and immersed in the depths of His mercy.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus calls out to all who are weary and burdened, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a place of rest and refuge, offering peace to those who come to Him with open hearts. The peace He shares transcends human understanding, because its source is the divine rays of abiding love that stream from His very being. And His mercy is not just a one-time act; it is an ongoing, unending flow of love and grace that sustains us day by day.

This ocean of mercy extends beyond mere consolation; it brings a profound tranquility of the soul. As we open ourselves to the mercy of Jesus, we are drawn into a peace that surpasses all the struggles of this world. Philippians 4:7 reassures us of this peace, saying, "The peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." This peace is not fleeting or dependent on external circumstances; it is the peace that only the Sacred Heart of Jesus can give—a peace that transcends all the fears and anxieties of life.

In this sixth promise of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we as fallen sinners – creatures who are sundered in our very fundamental relationship with our Creator – are actively sought out by our Lord to discover a boundless source of mercy. His mercy embraces us, indwells us, sustains us, and perfects us. His call to every one of us is as personal as can be imagined. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.” His mercy holds us for sure. For His great gifts of compassion and love, we offer Him our gratitude and praise.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being the source and infinite ocean of mercy to us. May we always seek refuge in Your Sacred Heart and find in Your grace the peace and love that transform our lives.