Fornax Ardens Caritatis
“My Divine Heart is so inflamed with love for men, and for you in particular that, being unable any longer to contain within Itself the flames of Its burning Charity, It must needs spread them abroad by your means, and manifest Itself to them (mankind) in order to enrich them with the precious graces of sanctification and salvation necessary to withdraw them from the abyss of perdition. I have chosen you as an
abyss of unworthiness and ignorance for the accomplishment of this great design, in order that everything may be done by Me."
Traditional images represent Our Lord with a burning heart, for this is how Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary. Our beloved Saviour is not only content with revealing us His heart but He wants us to see his heart burning - not only charity but an intense charity.
And why? “I am come to cast fire on the earth; and what will I, but that it be kindled?” (Luke 12:49)
It is precisely why His heart is a burning furnace of charity. It is zealous, capable of transforming anyone who comes closer to Him. It is the divine and human charity of Our Lord. It is the intense love of God and love of souls for God. The disciples of Emmaus understood this very clearly. Their hearts were cold, their charity was dead! Their hope was shattered. It is in this state that they met Our Lord. After spending some time with Him, they were transformed. "Were not our hearts burning within us (Luke 24:32)"
Dear friends, is there not a very important lesson for us in this episode? How cold we are in our spiritual life! How much charity do we possess? How intense is our charity? If we wish to have a deeper spiritual life, an intense charity, we have to be closer to the burning furnace of charity. Only then can we have “Our hearts burning within us”. Let us implore the help of the Sacred Heart of Jesus frequently with this title: Heart of Jesus, Burning furnace of charity, have mercy on us.
Benedicamus Domino
Fr. Therasian Xavier
