The Sacred Heart of Jesus

When Jesus was crucified, the worst of his pain came from seeing his mother’s anguish, writes Saint John Eudes in The Sacred Heart of Jesus. But was she not prepared for the terrible death that her son would suffer? According to author, she did not witness his suffering on the way to Herod’s house, for the din of the crowd’s drowned out the sound, and she could not see over their heads. When she finally heard the terrible words, she began to suffer worse than her son, and that gave her the strength to carry out his final will.

Saint John Eudes was a French priest from Normandy, writing at a time when few could write. Whenever he mentions Jesus, he capitalizes the “H” so that it’s always He, Him, and Himself. It seems that this book is meant to show Jesus as someone with an iron will, capable of withstanding intense mental and physical punishment, knowing all along that upon his death he will become a savior and inspiration to the people.

Despite the intense tales of woe, there are positive aspects of this book. In the chapter Seventh Meditation, he describes all flora and fauna as miraculous creations. They are perceived as gifts from a savior, who notices every detail in life. In Saint John’s lifetime, his book would have reached a limited audience, so he was obviously not expecting himself to become a world-renowned bestselling writer. He developed an appreciation for simple things in his life, from the trees to the birds.

It’s like President Reagan used to say, “There is no end to the good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”