I have never been a very devotional person. I can remember rolling my eyes at a Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of Christ when I was much younger than I am today. I reluctantly go to such places as devotional prayer, but I have to say that Our Lady of Perpetual Help has truly chosen me and a devotion to her has gotten me through some incredibly tough times in life, both practical and spiritual. As much as I say that I am not devotional in my prayer life, I can point to clear moments where it has meant everything to me.
Now, the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has taken my by the hand and won't let go.
In particular it is the wound from the soldier's spear that I can't get out of my mind. I know this is an artistic thought more than it is a theological thought, but I sincerely believe that the piercing of the side is what saved us. This is not just a shedding of blood. It is a doorway, the doorway, through which we enter into communion with Jesus. Salvation from the Catholic perspective is not being washed in the blood. I am painting a simplistic charicature here, but Luther thought we were displeasing to God because of our sin. The blood washed us clean of our sin and made acceptable to God. Of course, this is part of our understanding of salvation, but that is where the mystery stops for many. The mystery of salvation goes much deeper than that. Salvation is an entrance into Jesus himself. It is communion with him. It is union with him, with his experience, with his destiny.
Salvation is being adopted as a son or a daughter. In fact it is an exchange of DNA. Paul says that the old self has died. I really think Paul say baptism as a real death, not just a metaphorical death. Emerging from the waters of baptism, we now begin the change, the transformation, the metamorphosis into the image and likeness of Jesus. This includes holiness, but it is not limited to holiness. It is taking on the experience of Jesus which is the experience of God as the eternal Father. Jesus shares this with us in the exact way that Jesus experiences the Father. The point of the spear opened the door to this communion. My father is in the oil and gas industry and before it was so widely known, I would hear him say that they needed "frack the well". The fissure needed to be opened wide.
The spear piercing the heart created the fissure and the resurrection fracked it wide enough for the entire Universe to enter. Here is a poem to the Sacred Heart reflects some of these thoughts. If it blesses you and you would like to use it elsewhere, please free. I only ask that you let me know by emailing me at robert.feduccia@mac.com
Nails have pierced the hands.
Nails have pierced the feet.
Was it these that saved?
Thorns on the head.
Stripes on the back.
Was it these that saved?
Insults and spit.
Kicks, mocking applause.
Was it these that saved?
No. It was not these that saved.
A man in terror.
A man who could have run.
A man who stayed.
A man under the olive tree.
The torches. The friend. The obedience. The surrender.
The pleasure of cruelty’s thrust.
The wound that scarred perfect love.
A door so slight fracked large as the Universe.
Large, wide, and free.
Room for you to enter. Come. Enter the wound.
Blood flows. Water flows.
In the water: come enter the wound, the wound of cruelty’s thrust.