In the Light of His Heart

In the Gospel of this First Friday, July 4, 2025, Jesus passes by Matthew. He was someone rejected by society, a tax collector considered a sinner. Jesus simply says, “Follow me.” There are no conditions, no accusations, only an invitation. And Matthew gets up and follows.

The Reaching Heart

This short scene reveals something important about the heart of Jesus: it is a heart that reaches out to the lost. It is a heart that calls us before we are ready. It is a heart that loves us into transformation. When the Pharisees question Jesus’ practice of eating with sinners, he responds, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.” This moment becomes a glimpse into the Sacred Heart itself: not a heart of judgment, but of healing, mercy, and welcome.

The Calling Heart

Theologically, this Gospel (Matthew 9:9-13) teaches us that God’s grace is not earned, it is given. Jesus does not wait for us to be worthy; He calls us in the middle of whatever mess we have. His mercy is real and it reaches out to us no matter where we are.

The Living Heart

First Friday devotion flows from this same truth: the Sacred Heart of Jesus is not a distant symbol, it is the living heart of our faith.

It draws us to trust in God’s deep desire to heal what is broken, to forgive what is wounded, to make all things new.