This month we worship the Heart of Jesus in a special way. We want to put under His Sacred heart also our commitment: “A Minute for Peace”. All over the world we need peace. Every day we receive news about terrorist attacks; some become viral, while some others are less known, because they happen in countries which are not under the spotlights.

To face such a huge problem, we often think of increasing the system of defense based also on nuclear weapons, but as Pope Francis declares: “If we take into consideration the principal threats to peace and security with their many dimensions in this multipolar world of the twenty-first century as, for example, terrorism, asymmetrical conflicts, cybersecurity, environmental problems, poverty, not a few doubts arise regarding the inadequacy of nuclear deterrence as an effective response to such challenges. These concerns are even greater when we consider the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences that would follow from any use of nuclear weapons, with devastating, indiscriminate and uncontainable effects, over time and space. Similar cause for concern arises when examining the waste of resources spent on nuclear issues for military purposes, which could instead be used for worthy priorities like the promotion of peace and integral human development, as well as the fight against poverty, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” (Message to UN Conference, March 2017)

The goal of our resolutions is to fight poverty and contribute to the aim of the 2030 Agenda in a spirit of dialogue and mutual respect.

“International peace and stability cannot be based on a false sense of security, on the threat of mutual destruction or total annihilation, or on simply maintaining a balance of power. Peace must be built on justice, on integral human development, on respect for fundamental human rights, on the protection of creation, on the participation of all in public life, on trust between peoples, on the support of peaceful institutions, on access to education and health, on dialogue and solidarity.” (ibidem)

Let’s ask the Sacred Heart of Jesus to support our effort in this task.

Further reading

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/pont-messages/2017/documents/papa-francesco_20170323_messaggio-onu.html

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by St Margaret Mary Alacoque

I give myself 
and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
my person and my life, 
my actions, 
pains and sufferings, 
so that I may be unwilling to make use 
of any part of my being other than to honor, 
love and glorify the Sacred Heart. 
This is my unchanging purpose, namely, 
to be all His, 
and to do all things for the love of Him, 
at the same time renouncing with all my heart 
whatever is displeasing to Him. 
I therefore take You, 
O Sacred Heart, 
to be the only object of my love, 
the guardian of my life,
my assurance of salvation, 
the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, 
the atonement for all the faults of my life 
and my sure refuge at the hour of death. 

Be then, O Heart of goodness, 
my justification before God the Father, 
and turn away from me the strokes of his righteous anger.
O Heart of love, 
I put all my confidence in You, 
for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, 
but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty.

Remove from me all that can displease You 
or resist Your holy will;
let your pure love imprint Your image 
so deeply upon my heart, 
that I shall never be able to forget You 
or to be separated from You.

May I obtain from all Your loving kindness 
the grace of having my name written in Your Heart, 
for in You I desire to place all my happiness and glory, 
living and dying in bondage to You. 

Amen.