“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against anyone of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.” – Leviticus 19:18 

To love our neighbor is the second greatest commandment that God gave to His people. It is first mentioned in the Book of Leviticus in the Ten Commandments, and it would later be reaffirmed by the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Now, how is the second commandment connected to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ? To begin, the reader must first examine Pope Francis’ encyclical, Dilexit Nos. In Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis states that the heart of man has been “torn apart” by the confusion that has been caused by modern ideas of materialism and post-Christian Idealism. These ideas have caused the heart of man to be swept away from God’s love, instead fixating it on finances, politics, and twisted forms of love. As the heart of man does not know true love, they are unable to love their neighbor.

To be a Christian, one must love one’s neighbor, not stone one’s neighbor. Now, where does the Sacred Heart of Jesus fit into this? Well, as mentioned by Pope Leo XIII, the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the image of the infinite love that God has for His creation. The Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds the faithful that God truly loves mankind. In salvation history, His people have always rejected Him, but God did not abandon them. God, as Pope Benedict mentions, “does not lose heart in the face of ingratitude or rejection by the people He has chosen.” What God did was that He sent His only-begotten Son into the world. As the Word becomes flesh, the Word also takes in a human heart. This might sound strange to some Christians, especially those who forget that Jesus was also human. Nevertheless, His heart is hypostatically united to the divine person. What this means is that His human emotions are joined with His divine charity, as stated by Pope Pius XII. As His heart is joined with his divinity, His heart then becomes an instrument for our redemption. Through the blood that comes from His heart, mankind is cleansed and brought to a new life. 

Through the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ, man can see that the Father truly loves them. The Father did not send a flood as he did in the age of Noah. He sent His Only Son to redeem humanity to their rightful place as sons and daughters of God. By being redeemed as children of God, Christians must also show their love for their neighbor as Christ showed His love for humanity. Christian charity cannot grow cold, as mentioned in Miserentissimus Redemptor. Christian charity must be inspired by the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for He showed His love for us through His death. Christians must forgive their enemies, as He forgave us. In addition, Christians must reach out to those who are confused. Does the heavens not rejoice when one sinner repents? Nevertheless, to end this short article, let us ponder on the quote of St. Augustine of Hippo. “You made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” Our hearts can only rest in God. Our hearts can only know love once we know God’s love, and by looking at the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we can then know the love that God has for mankind.