In the darkest hour, the Sacred Heart burned bright with hope. Remember that during the crucifixion, darkness descended upon the land (see Mark 15:33). This second aspect is certainly relevant to the symbolism of the Sacred Heart, given that Christ is the true light of the world. (See Luke 24 my source for this interpretation is here.) So yes, the flames on the Sacred Heart are a true reminder of God’s burning love for us. One clear example of this is the two disciples who encountered Christ on the road to Emmaus and afterwards remarked that their hearts had been burning. There is evidence in the gospels that a burning heart signified intense emotions. Is this meaning still valid for the Sacred Heart? I think so. But, in our society, we usually use the word passion to refer to something or someone that drives our enthusiasm, interest, desires, and commitments. In the context of the gospels, the Passion refers to the suffering of Christ. It is fitting that at this climactic moment of the Incarnation that its deepest reality is reaffirmed in such an acute way. This foreshadowed the Incarnation, in which God assumed human nature, without his divinity extinguishing the humanity that had been assumed: Christ was fully man and fully God. Does this sound familiar? It recalls Moses’ first encounter with God, in a bush that burned but was not consumed. The fire burns, but the Sacred Heart is not consumed. Perhaps it’s especially fitting that the Sacred Heart is burning given that from it poured water and blood, symbols of the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharistic wine, both the work of the Holy Spirit. This symbolism carries over into the Old Testament, where the Holy Spirit descends upon the heads of the apostles as tongues of fire. We encounter God’s fiery presence at Sinai and in the account of Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 1). Of course, fire is also a familiar Old Testament symbol of God. (Key sources here, here, and here.) The burning Sacred Heart reminds us that this sacrifice too was incorporated into Christ’s supreme offering of Himself on the cross. In ancient Israel, a burnt offering was the supreme form of sacrifice, it symbolized a total commitment to God-particularly the death of the victim animal and the all-consuming nature of the fire. Much like how savasana helps you integrate the benefits of your yoga session once it’s finished, Raku is only used once you have achieved attunement, or after a healing session, in order to ground yourself and absorb all of the reiki benefits. Think of the fire that devoured the sacrifices offered by Elijah and the fire that Abraham would have set had an angel not intervened (see 1 Kings 18 and Genesis 22). Pronounced Ray-koo, this symbol is known as the fire serpent.

What was a common feature of these sacrifices? Fire. Recall that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was mean to recapitulate and supersede all the sacrifices of the Old Testament. There was no fire at the crucifixion, yet the Sacred Heart is often shown with flames. Some depictions even include the lance that pierced the side of Christ penetrating His heart.īut there’s one detail that seems out of place.

The wounded heart itself, the crown of thorns, and the cross itself all appear. Images of the Sacred Heart meticulously recount key details of the crucifixion.

Sacred fire symbol