Charism and the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

In the school where I work, I have been part of a formation committee, whose task was to attempt to articulate an understanding of Ursuline charism contained within the school motto of Serviam; and then to develop a formation program to ensure the ongoing faithfulness to and formation in the charism as the school community changes over the years. However, very early in the process it became necessary to even develop a common understanding of the word "charism" itself. Eventually the committee favoured an understanding of charism as a "window onto the Gospel". In pondering the readings for today's solemnity, it seemed to me that the underpinning reality being celebrated today is that window - a window through which the Merician charism comes face to face with the Gospel.

Culturally the celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus raises to mind pictorial images, not necessarily artistic images, perhaps more reminiscent of a day when catechetics was delivered predominantly by pictures. The perpetration of this pictorial image does not help to invite the current generation to ponder the richness of the reality being celebrated. Remarkably, the readings for the day revolve around the image of the shepherd - the shepherd who looks after the sheep, the tenderness of the shepherd, the shepherd who will not let even a single one of the flock be lost, the foolishness of heart that goes after a single lost sheep, the shepherd who knows each one by name, who lays down his life for his sheep. The profundity of such a love is a sacred reality - it breaks all bounds.

But it is the same imagery that St Angela uses when addressing the leaders of the Company of St Ursula and how they should look after the members of the Company. They should be like watchful shepherdesses, not lose one member, and "have them all engraved in your heart, one by one, for this is how real love acts and works." And to the members of the Company, St Angela, encouraged them "to always keep the flame of love burning in their hearts." It is this love that underpinned all of her teachings, the love of the good shepherd. This was her model. This was her key entry point into the Gospels, into her knowing of God.