The eighth promise of the Sacred Heart devotion is indeed a wondrous one: "fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection." This promise draws us into the reality that a soul enflamed with the love of Jesus' Sacred Heart is led toward sanctification, becoming more like Him and reflecting His perfect image. It is not about instant, seemingly magical perfection, but rather a dynamic process of spiritual growth fueled by fervent love.
To understand
how this promise unfolds in our lives, we can turn to Romans 8:28-30,
in which St. Paul beautifully captures the process of spiritual perfection. “We
know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are
called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the
first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called;
and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also
glorified.” These verses illustrate the steps toward spiritual perfection,
beginning with love and culminating in glorification.
Beginning
with verse 28, "We know that in everything God works for good with
those who love him, who are called according to his purpose." At the
foundation of the Sacred Heart devotion is the understanding that God’s love
for us is unshakable. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is not only a symbol of His
love, but it is also the source that ignites a fire of love in our own hearts.
This love, when fully embraced, fuels a fervent spirit in believers, drawing
them closer to the heart of God. The promise that “fervent souls shall quickly
mount to high perfection” is not a mere wish but a reality grounded in divine
love. As stated in Romans 8:28, God works in all circumstances to bring about
good for those who love Him. A soul that loves Jesus fervently will recognize
this truth and see how every situation—whether trials or triumphs—becomes an
opportunity for growth. Through the fervency of their love for Christ, souls
are continuously molded, shaped, and refined, leading them toward the
perfection of Christ's image.
Building upon
this foundation of love and trust, verse 29 reveals, "Those whom he
foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order
that he might be the first-born among many brethren." How blessed is our faith! We are foreseen in
God's divine mind, we are chosen by God to be found in Christ, we are
personally called by Him and are thoroughly blessed to be conformed to our
Savior's divine image. We understand as Catholic believers that our God is
indeed a God of divine vocation – a vocation God's extends to all Christians –
a call to faith, to discipleship and a call to personal holiness.
In this
second verse, the concept of sanctification is introduced – the process by
which a Christian is transformed into the likeness of Christ. This is where the
call to high perfection comes into focus. The Sacred Heart devotion speaks to a
call to a higher life, one rooted in Christ’s love. This divine transformation
is not a solitary endeavor but a continuous journey with Christ, empowered by
the Holy Spirit. To be fervent in love for Jesus is to willingly embrace this
process of sanctification, where the soul sheds its imperfections and draws
closer to the perfect nature of Christ.
Sanctification, as described in Romans 8:29, reflects God’s divine will to shape each believer into the image of His Son. This process involves both the beauty of God’s grace and the believer’s active cooperation in it. By loving Jesus with fervor, we align ourselves with God's will, allowing Him to mold us into the persons He intends us to be. Through fervent love, souls quickly mount toward high perfection, as their very lives become a reflection of the holiness of Christ.
Finally,
Romans 8:30 brings clarity to the ultimate goal of Christian life—the call to
perfection. “And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he
called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
This high calling is not simply a suggestion but a divine invitation. God has
predestined believers to be conformed to the image of His Son, a calling that
comes with a promise of justification and glorification. This reflects the
culmination of the process of sanctification: justification through Christ’s
sacrifice and glorification through the perfection of the soul. The Sacred
Heart devotion calls all believers to understand this high vocation—to be
justified through Christ and glorified by God. The fervent soul responds to
this call, seeking not only to follow Christ but to grow in His perfection.
To be
justified is to be made right before God, and this is made possible through the
merits of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. To be justified in Christ
opens our souls to the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, as we grow in our
glorification of being more fully united with Christ. This process of
justification, sanctification and glorification is the completion of the
Christian vocation. As promised, we are literally elevated to high perfection
as those who follow Jesus with singular devotion and who love Him with a
fervent heart.
The eighth
promise of Sacred Heart devotion, “fervent souls shall quickly mount to high
perfection,” is a beautiful reflection of God’s desire for each of us to grow
in holiness and become more like Christ. Romans 8:28-30 beautifully lays out
how this divine promise unfolds in the life of a believer. This vocation is for
all Christians: to love Jesus with a fervent heart, embracing the
sanctifying power of His Sacred Heart, and allowing that love to bring about in
us the ultimate perfection found in Him.
By Father
Glenn Baaten
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