Original scientific paper
An Analysis of Blessed Aloysius Stepinac's Homilies on the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Juraj Batelja
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
The Archbishop of Zagreb, Aloysius Stepinac, during his imprisonment at Lepoglava, compiled a collection of his homilies under the title, «Homilies on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.» The purpose of this article is to present an analysis of the theological thoughts and pastoral encouragement which mark this series of homilies. They bear the insignia of the time in which they were written, a characteristic style and singular language, the structures of which are examined and put forward as is also the autobiographical recognizability of the author himself.
An analysis of the content of the homilies brings to the fore the author's vivid faith in Jesus, the incarnated Word of God, His relationship to the Heavenly Father and His obedience to the Father's will which is central to His mission in salvation history, casting a new light upon temporality and eternity.
Although Archbishop Stepinac was forcibly separated from his flock, and although theological sources were not made available to him during his incarceration, still he left the Church with a legacy meriting scholarly examination and which serves as a mainspring for our devotion to the Heart of Jesus. It also provides a fountain of valuable resources for pastoral work. The homilies, aside from spreading the glory of God, also make known to us the Archbishop's response to the call to Christian perfection, for it is «through devotion to the Heart of Jesus and through recitation of the Litanies of the Heart of Jesus that we give form to our faith in the Heart as a sign of God's love for man.» Also, they pave our way for achieving sanctity and attaining the glory of Heaven.
Keywords
the incarnation of Christ; the revelation of God as Father; Jesus' divinity and humanity; man – an image of God; Jesus' mercy; human ingratitude; Heart of Jesus; a sign of love; litanies and devotions in honour of the Heart of Jesus
Hrčak ID:
27618
URI
Publication date:
13.10.2008.
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