Visit to the Sacre Coeur of Montmartre (1 June 1980)

On Sunday, 1 June 1980, the Holy Father visited the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Montmartre, Paris. In his address to the faithful, the Pope related the disciples' experience of Christ in Emmaus to communing with Him in the Holy Eucharist.  

1. “Stay with us, Lord, for the day is at an end”[ 1 ].

The Emmaus disciples had their hearts already burning within themselves after hearing the marvels of the plan of salvation revealed in the scriptures explained on the way. Through the breaking of the bread, the Lord completes his revelation to them, risen, in the fullness of his love.

We are in Montmartre, in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, dedicated to the contemplation of the love of Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament.

We are on the evening of the first of June, the first day of the month particularly consecrated to meditation, to the contemplation of the love of Christ manifested by his Sacred Heart.

Here, day and night, Christians gather and follow one another to seek “the unfathomable riches of Christ”[ 2 ].

2. Here we come to meet the Heart pierced for us from which flow water and blood.

It is redemptive love, which is at the origin of salvation, of our salvation, which is at the origin of the Church.
We come here to contemplate the love of the Lord Jesus: his compassionate kindness to all during his earthly life; his favorite love for the little ones, the sick, the afflicted. Let us contemplate his heart burning with love for his Father, in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Let us contemplate his infinite love, that of the eternal Son, which leads us to the very mystery of God.

3. Even now, today, the living Christ loves us and presents his heart to us as the source of our redemption: “Semper vivens ad interpellandum pro nobis ”[ 3 ]. At every moment we are enveloped, the whole world is enveloped, in the love of this heart “which has loved men so much and is so little loved by them”.

“I live, says Saint Paul, in faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me”[ 4 ]. Meditation on the Lord's love necessarily involves meditation on his passion: “He gave himself up for me”. This implies that each one becomes aware not only of the sin of the world in general, but of this sin by which each one is really involved, negatively, in the sufferings of the Lord.

This meditation on the love manifested in the passion must also lead us to live in accordance with the requirements of baptism, with this purification of our being by the water flowing from the heart of Christ; to live according to the call that he addresses to us each day by his grace. May he give us now “to watch and pray” so that we no longer succumb to temptation. May he give us to enter spiritually into his mystery; to have in us, as Saint Paul says again, the sentiments which were in Christ Jesus... “who became obedient unto death”[ 5 ].

We are thus called to respond fully to his love, to consecrate our activities, our apostolate, our whole life to him.

4. This mystery of Christ's love we are not called to meditate on and contemplate only; we are called to take part in it. It is the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, center of our faith, center of the worship that we render to the merciful love of Christ manifested in his Sacred Heart, mystery that is adored here night and day, in this basilica, which becomes hence one of those centers from which the Lord's love and grace shine mysteriously but truly upon your city, upon your country, and upon the redeemed world.

In the Holy Eucharist we celebrate the ever new and active presence of the one sacrifice of the Cross in which Redemption is an eternally present event, indissolubly linked to the very intercession of the Saviour.

In the Holy Eucharist, we commune with Christ himself, unique priest and unique host, who draws us into the movement of his offering and his adoration, he who is the source of all grace.

In the Holy Eucharist - this is also the meaning of perpetual adoration - we enter into this movement of love from which flows all interior progress and all apostolic effectiveness: “When I shall have been raised from the earth, I I will draw all men to me”[ 6 ].

Dear Brothers and Sisters, my joy is great to be able to end this day in this high place of Eucharistic prayer, in the midst of you, united by love for the divine Heart. Pray to him. Live from this message which, from the Gospel of Saint John at Paray-le-Monial, calls us to enter into its mystery. May we all “draw with joy from the sources of salvation”[ 7 ], those which flow from the love of the Lord, who died and rose again for us.

It is to him that I also commend your country and all your apostolic intentions this evening. With great heart, I give you my Blessing.

 [ 1 ] Cfr. Luke . 24, 29.

 [ 2 ] Cfr. Eph . 3, 8-19.

 [ 3 ] Hebr . 7, 25.

 [ 4 ] Gal . 2, 20.

 [ 5 ] Phil . 2, 5-8.

 [ 6 ] Io . 12, 32.

 [ 7 ] Is . 12, 3.

© Copyright 1980 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

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