Since 2013, the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus has been publishing anniversary articles every year in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By doing so, we want to spread of veneration for the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Russia. The authors of these articles are priests and bishops who celebrate the Tridentine Mass both in Russia and abroad. First of all, we do it in Russia, therefore, all the articles are translated to and published in Russian. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough resources to translate all the articles also to English.
Our anniversary articles (in Russian) from 2013 to 2020 may be found on our old website.
Our anniversary articles (in Russian) from 2021 may be found on our actual website.
2025
Author: Fr. Christopher Spray (born in 1978 in Alabama, USA) was ordained a priest in 2017. To ensure the validity of his orders, he was ordained sub conditione by the Most Rev. Thomas Huber in 2022. Fr. Spray is one of the founding members of the Oratorians of the Holy Ghost and currently resides in the state of Louisiana in the United States of America, where he serves as pastor of St. Philomena Chapel. Father Christopher organises regular broadcasts of Holy Masses in accordance with the Missal St. Pius V from his chapel, which can be viewed on the St. Philomena Chapel YouTube channel.
The Prefigurement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
in the Old Testament
Fr. Christopher Spray
Throughout salvation history, God has continually revealed His Heart to humanity—a Heart that sorrows over sin, burns with love, and overflows with mercy. From the earliest pages of Scripture to the fullness of revelation in Jesus Christ, we see this divine Heart reaching out to a fallen world. This Sacred Heart which not only grieves over a world mired in sin, but also burns with a great compassion, is prefigured in many ways throughout the Old Testament. By exploring a few of these examples from antiquity, we come to understand more fully the tenderness, patience, and unchanging love that culminate in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who continues to call us to Himself today.
“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.” (Genesis 6:5-6)
One of the earliest glimpses into the heart of God appears in the story of Noah and the Flood. Because of humanity’s pervasive sinfulness, God’s heart is moved not to anger alone, but to profound sorrow—a grief so deep that He laments having created mankind. This divine sorrow leads to the judgment of the Flood, where nearly all of humanity is swept away. Yet even amid such judgment, we see God’s compassion: Noah finds favor in His eyes, and God chooses to preserve Noah and his family.
Noah serves as an example to us that if we are faithful servants of God, His loving heart will show mercy to us. This same loving heart is the very Sacred Heart of Jesus that has compassion on the world. The same Heart that grieves with sorrow over sin, yet is so easy to forgive those who turn to forgiveness.
In this, we can see a prefiguration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The sorrow of God over sin echoes the pain symbolized by the crown of thorns encircling Christ’s Heart—a Heart wounded by love for a fallen world. Just as the sins of those during the time of Noah caused the heart of God to grieve with sorrow, so too does the Sacred Heart of Jesus mourn the sins which we most frequently commit. At the same time, the mercy shown to Noah points to the compassion at the core of the Sacred Heart, which longs to redeem and restore mankind rather than destroy it.
“I will set my bow in the clouds, to be a pledge of my covenant with creation.
When I veil the sky with clouds, in those clouds my bow shall appear, to remind me of my promise to you, and to all the life that quickens mortal things; never shall the waters rise in flood again, and destroy all living creatures. There, in the clouds, my bow shall stand, and as I look upon it, I will remember this eternal covenant; God’s covenant with all the life that beats in mortal creatures upon earth.” (Genesis 9:13-16)
God’s covenant with Noah, sealed by the sign of the rainbow, is a promise of mercy—a pledge that He would never again destroy the world by water. Likewise, Our Lord, through the promises of His Sacred Heart, assures us of His boundless compassion. If we remain faithful to Him, His Heart, overflowing with love, will grant us mercy and everlasting life.
“And here the Lord revealed himself through a flame that rose up from the midst of a bush; it seemed that the bush was alight, yet did not burn.” (Exodus 3:2)
The Book of Exodus describes a pivotal moment when Moses first encounters God in the form of the burning bush. While tending his flock near Mount Horeb, Moses encounters a burning bush.
The bush is aflame but not consumed—an awe-inspiring symbol of God’s holiness and transcendence. This fire purifies without destroying, burns without exhausting, and stands as a sign of God’s eternal and mighty presence.
In like manner, the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is depicted with burning flames—flames that also do not consume but burn perpetually with redemptive love. Just as the bush burned with divine fire yet remained unscathed, so too does the Heart of Our Lord burn with a love that purifies but does not destroy—a fire that reveals the depth of God’s mercy and compassion.
The encounter of Moses with God in the burning bush is what theologians call a theophany, a visible manifestation of God to humanity. Yet, it is a partial revelation—a veiled encounter with the divine mystery. In contrast, the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the fullness of divine revelation. In Christ, God does not merely appear in symbol or shadow but becomes flesh. His Heart is not just
a symbol—it is a living Heart, pierced for our sins, yet still burning with love for every soul, even the most lost and wretched. This is the most complete and intimate theophany: God revealed not only in word, but in Person.
“But now, as he saw him coming up to look closer, the Lord called to him from the midst of the bush, Moses, Moses. And when he answered, I am here, at thy command…” (Exodus 3:4)
“I have an errand for thee at Pharaoh’s court; thou art to lead my people, the sons of Israel, away out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10)
Just as Moses was called by God through the burning bush to lead His people to freedom, the Sacred Heart of Jesus now calls each of us to lead as well. Moses led the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. We are called to lead souls—from the slavery of sin to the freedom of grace—through acts of reparation, penance, and love.
“He was told, Do not come nearer; rather take the shoes from thy feet, thou art standing on holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5)
God warns Moses to approach with reverence. The ground is holy—not because of the bush, but because of God’s presence. Likewise, when we enter our churches, we approach a far greater mystery: the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. His Sacred Heart dwells in our tabernacles, ever burning with love for us.
We too must remove our “shoes”—not physically, but spiritually—by preparing ourselves to encounter Him in the Real Presence in the tabernacles of our churches. If we are at odds with a neighbor, we must seek peace. If we are burdened with sin, we must humbly confess and be reconciled. We bless ourselves with holy water upon entering the church to remember our baptism, our rebirth as God’s children. And like Moses removed his shoes before the bush, we must genuflect and keep a holy silence, reverencing the sacred space where His Heart beats in the Real Presence of the Blessed Sacrament with eternal love and pours out graces without end.
Further in the book of Exodus, we read of the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and their long journey toward the Promised Land under the leadership of Moses. In Exodus 17, the Israelites encamp at Rephidim, a desolate place where they suffer from a dire lack of water. Gripped by thirst and despair, the people begin to quarrel with Moses, who, fearing he will be
stoned by the people, turns to God for guidance.
God commands Moses: “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink” (Exodus 17:6). Moses obeys, and water flows from the rock, miraculously providing for the people in their need. This moment of divine mercy not only addresses Israel’s physical thirst but also reveals God’s enduring mercy and compassion, even in the face of complaint and disbelief.
This miraculous event is later interpreted by St. Paul as a profound prefiguration of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 10:4, he writes: “They all drank from the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.” The rock struck by Moses is thus understood to symbolize Christ Himself, from whom the grace of God flows to His people.
The striking of the rock, from which life-giving water issued forth, foreshadows the piercing of the Sacred Heart on the Cross, from which flowed blood and water—powerful symbols of the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, particularly Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. From this pierced Sacred Heart comes the life-giving graces which we receive through both of these Sacraments.
Just as water from the rock quenched the physical thirst of the Israelites in the desert, so too the blood and water from Christ’s Sacred Heart satisfy the spiritual thirst of the faithful. Flowing from His pierced side, these streams bring life, healing, and salvation to humanity, making the Heart of Jesus not only a symbol of divine love, but also the very source of sacramental grace. It is this water which flowed from His Sacred Heart which gives us newness of life and quenches our spiritual thirst.
The prophet Osee was the first of the minor prophets, having lived in the 8th century B.C. These prophets are called minor not because they are of lesser importance, but simply because their writings are shorter than those of the so-called “major” prophets such as Isaias and Ezechiel.
Osee speaks with clarity and sorrow about the corruption of his time. Both in the realm of religion and in general morality, the society around him was steeped in grave evils.
“Penance she must do for that hey-day of idolatry, when the incense smoked, and out she went, all rings and necklaces, to meet her lovers, the gods of the country-side, and for me, the Lord says, never a thought!” (Osee 2:13)
Instead of worshipping the one true God, the people gave their hearts and their gifts to false gods and idols. Do we not see the same patterns in our own society today? Society exalts modern idols: celebrities, sports figures, musicians, even politicians. Look at the extravagant celebrations and meticulous preparations surrounding events like the Super Bowl or the World Cup, and compare them to the lukewarm attention given to the most sacred time of Holy Week.
If only the world would recognize how fleeting, trivial, and ultimately empty these modern idols are! How much greater it would be if hearts were lifted instead to the worship of the Most Sacred Heart! Have we truly learned nothing since the days of Osee? Sadly, for the vast majority, the answer remains a resounding no.
But the corruption Osee witnessed was not limited to false worship—it extended deeply into societal breakdown.
“Curse they and lie, murder they and steal and live adulterously, till there is no checking it; never feud ends but another feud begins.” (Osee 4:2)
Do we not see the same in our own times? People think little of lying or cheating if it serves their ambition. Divorce is rampant, violence is daily news, and trust among neighbors continues to erode. The sins of Osee’s day are alive and well in the modern world.
Yet, even in the midst of this corruption, God’s Heart is moved with pity. He grieves for His people, not in cold justice but with a tender, aching love.
“What, Ephraim, must I abandon thee? Must I keep Israel under watch and ward? Can I let thee go the way of Adama, share the doom of Seboim? All at once my heart misgives me, and from its embers pity revives.” (Osee 11:8)
This is the same Sacred Heart of Jesus which even now burns with compassion for sinners. It is the same Heart that was pierced upon the Cross because of our sins. Time and again, God stands ready to pour out His mercy and to draw us back, if only we will turn from our wickedness and return to Him.
The message of Osee is timeless: The Lord’s Heart yearns for His people. The call to repentance, to faithful worship, and to upright living is as urgent now as it was in the prophet’s day. This is the same Heart of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that still calls to us this very day!
From the sorrow of God in Noah’s time, to the fire of divine love in the burning bush, to the living water from the rock in the desert, and finally to the passionate pleas of the prophet Osee, we see a single, continuous message: God’s Heart is never indifferent. It grieves over sin, it burns with longing for His people, and it pours out mercy upon all who return to Him. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the summit of this revelation—a Heart still wounded by the sins of humanity, yet still yearning to forgive. The call remains urgent: to turn away from modern idols, to lead others to God, to approach His Real Presence with reverence, and to take refuge in His Sacred Heart, which is our source of life, grace, and everlasting love.
Cor Jesu sacratissimum, miserere nobis!
I bless you all and the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the name of the Holy Trinity.
In nomine + Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Fr. Christopher Spray, state of Louisiana (United States of America), at the Feast Most Sacred Heart of Jesus 2025.
The Knox Bible is used for the Scripture quotations in this article.
