Sacred Heart of Jesus Offers Love and Mercy to all
By Merita B. McCormack
Washington DC
“On Friday, June 8, 2018, the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC) will join with embassies, representatives of captive nations, and human rights organizations for the 11th annual Roll Call of Nations Wreath Laying Ceremony and Presentation of the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom at the Victims of Communism Memorial on Capitol Hill. Please join us for this special event.”
This was the invitation on the Victims of Communism foundation webpage. I gather some people read this site daily, some people perhaps don’t even know that this webpage or worse even, that this institution exists. But as with the mustard seed turning into a large tree, the Bible’s parable so is with this event and the good work that this organization does. Its founder Mr. Lee Edwards, a visionary Christian man, got the desire to start such an organization after attending Mass one Sunday, and the rest is history.
For many of us, (that is Albanians of America), this organization is like a light shining into the darkness that has fallen and is not moving fast enough away. At least I speak for my family and my compatriots. Our parents are getting very old and many of their peers have died without seeing or testing the real fruits of freedom. Many have gone without hearing the so much needed “mea culpa”, a sincere one, from those who committed the crimes during the communist dictatorship. There is no healing yet. When the elderly Albanians, victims of communism, on this side of the pond hear about the Roll Call of Nations Wreath Laying Ceremony they often say to the young ones:
“Can you go there, on my behalf? Can you lay there a flower for me, please?”
And this is why the wreath layers are increasing and the ceremony gets longer and longer each year. Because it has a real and solemn meaning! We have a large group of Albanian –Americans, this time someone even travelled from Albania, someone who saw perhaps worse than anyone I know who is still alive. The people that gathered in DC were from many states across the US, to do pay their honors to the victims. Before I left for the ceremony I felt like someone whispered in my ear: “Go and pay respect to the fallen, weep for them, pray for their eternal peace and rejoice for them. They are the martyrs of freedom and democracy. And also, pray for the survivors that they heal. But pray a lot also for those who brought this tragedy upon the nations”.
Reflecting upon that thought, it was very poignant I thought, that it was the Feast of Sacred Heart on Friday June 8th, 2018. J
esus throughout the history has shown to the people His most Sacred Heart, showing it wounded, saying “I love you, no matter what, but it hurts that you don’t love me”. We hurt God when we hurt others. All who laid the wreaths on this sacred day at this very important monument, erected to honour the memory of 100 million + people who died because of communism, have a chance to honour the fallen, but also to reflect how we , by allowing evil in our lives, hurt God by hurting others. Communist ideology did just that and in great numbers. What an offense to our Creator!
And those with communist ties of the past or the present, laying wreaths on behalf of their nation being a diplomat perhaps, on this day have a chance to be showered with the grace and mercy of God if they let their hearts be touched by God and repent. He said: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Mt 11:28. We must remember there is no sin grater than the Mercy of God. Thanking the VOC, lets invoke the saints to intercede on our behalf and also our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for his Mercy:
Saint “Mother” Teresa of Calcutta and Saint Faustina, pray for us!
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in you!
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