St. Daniel Comboni And His Devotion To The Sacred Heart Of Jesus

INTRODUCTION

St. Daniel Comboni’s deep devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus shaped his mission and writings. He believed that true conversion comes from Christ’s love, inspiring his consecration of the Vicariate to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

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The devotion to the Heart of Jesus was deeply significant in the life of St. Daniel Comboni. This is evident in his writings, where he extensively reflected on the Heart of Jesus. It is important to rediscover this rich spirituality that St. Daniel Comboni embodied.

On August 2, 1873, Comboni wrote to his friend, Father Francesco Bricolo, informing him about the consecration of the Vicariate to the Heart of Jesus: “On 14th September, I am celebrating the solemn consecration of the whole Vicariate to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, from whom I hope to obtain the conversion of everyone.” This consecration was not solely St. Daniel Comboni’s decision but an inspiration from the Lord. In his pastoral letter for the consecration of the Vicariate to the Sacred Heart, he wrote: “It pleased the Lord in this circumstance to inspire us to see that the surest way of achieving our desired end would be to gather ourselves, our faithful, and the entire Vicariate under the protection of the most Sacred and Lovable Heart of Jesus.”

St. Daniel Comboni firmly believed that the conversion of the people to whom the Lord sent him would be made possible through the power of the Sacred Heart. Conversion is, first and foremost, the work of the Lord Himself. Out of His love, the Lord desires that all people may know Him and may have eternal life. It is Our Lord Jesus Christ who works, touches, and transforms people’s hearts, molding them into the likeness of His own loving heart. This is an essential truth to remember, especially in missionary activities. There is a risk of thinking that because we are committed to evangelization, we are the ones doing the work. The truth, however, is that the Lord is the true protagonist of evangelization. St. Paul, in his letter to Timothy, reminds us that, God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). No matter who we are or what our commitments may be, we are merely instruments in the hands of the Lord for the salvation of our brothers and sisters. In his recent encyclical letter Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis emphasized: “The heart of Christ, as the symbol of the deepest and most personal source of His love for us, is the very core of the initial preaching of the Gospel. It stands at the origin of our faith, as the wellspring that refreshes and enlivens our Christian beliefs.”

The legacy of St. Daniel Comboni regarding devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus teaches us that conversion is ultimately the initiative of the Lord. His example reminds us of the immense love God has for humanity. Let us learn from the Heart of Jesus how to love as God loves. May the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus instill humility in our missionary activities and transform our hearts so that we may love like Him.

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