On Friday, Oct. 7, the entire Sacred Heart Academy community gathered once again, as it has the past 70 years, to enthrone Jesus as king and center of our hearts. The Enthronement Mass is a special one, remembered and cherished by all who have passed through the doors of SHA. Based on the qualities of being a Christian woman, seniors are elected by their classmates and teachers to have special parts in the Mass. The liturgy itself is full of beautiful traditions involving flowers, candles and a bejeweled crown which is placed on the statue of Jesus as a symbol of our devotion. But underneath all of the frills comes the true importance of the Mass: the Act of Consecration, printed below.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, 

You have no hands but my hands to touch and bless and heal.
Jesus, You have no feet but my feet  to lead everyone in Your ways of truth, justice, mercy, purity and goodness.
You, Jesus, have no heart but my heart to believe, to dream, to hope, to love, to save.
Today I renew my pledge of love and loyalty to You.
Keep me always close to Your loving Heart.
May I love You in all others more and more each day.
Help me Jesus to forgive other’s faults: as I want You to forgive my faults.
Teach me to see You in the members of my family, school, neighbors and all those I meet, and to love them as You love them, especially the poor, the elderly and the suffering, so that I may be an instrument of Your love and peace. Amen

I think it is necessary that we have this Mass and say this moving prayer near the beginning of the year because it sets the tone of the school. What is our goal at Sacred Heart? To learn and push ourselves to be Excelsior might be the answer many would give, and that is a valid answer. It is certainly one of the goals of the school. However, many of us only consider Excelsior to be in the field of academics. I would like to contend that Excelsior applies to all facets of our SHA experience; in the classroom, on the field, on the stage, within our own selves and how we act toward others. The Act of Consecration calls us to be one with Jesus, that He leads through us. How can we not be Excelsior with the Lord leading through us?

Another aspect of the Mass are the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart, which we read for our intercessions. Most of all, these promises remind us that Jesus is our peace and comfort, always waiting for us to return so that He might bestow upon us more than we can imagine.

Through reflecting on what to write for this article, I’ve come to the realization that this Enthronement Mass is really like a “welcome home” Mass. Generally, it is a welcome back to the school and an introduction to, or reminder of, the rich traditions we have at Sacred Heart. Spiritually, Jesus welcomes us back as we hear the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart, reminding us that He is there. We can lay down our burdens because nothing is too much for Him to carry. The Act of Consecration welcomes Him back to our hearts. We freely surrender ourselves to Him so that He can lead us to that Excelsior for which we are ever-reaching.

I hope that you will remember this special Mass  and take its message to heart. Never forget that Jesus is waiting for us to return home.