Dedication of the Months of the Year with Twelve Christian Virtues

In the traditional dedication of the months of the year with twelve Christian Virtues, the month of June is the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the virtue is obedience.  The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated this year on Friday, June 19.  

Wonderfully, this day is also declared the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, and is the beginning of the Year For Priests.  And,

it also opens the Jubilee year of the 150th Anniversary of the death of St. Jean Marie Vianney, the holy Cure' of Ars.  The Cure' was declared the Patron of Parish Priests, but Holy Father Benedict XVI will declare him Patron Saint of All Priests !  

"Obedience.  The moral virtue that inclines the will to comply with the will of another who has the right to command.  Material obedience is merely to carry out the physical action commanded; formal obedience is to perform an action precisely because it is commanded by a legitimate superior.  The extent of obedience is as wide as the authority of the person who commands.  Thus obedience to God is without limit, whereas obedience to human beings is limited. . . As a virtue, it is pleasing to God because it means the sacrifice of one's will out of love for God."  

(Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J.)   

May this month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus increase our trust in Him.  The human nature of Christ forms one Person with the divine nature, and Christ's love which is both human and divine, is symbolized in His physical heart.  This Heart is where we take our petitions during the holy sacrifice of the Mass.  We unite our prayers for our loved ones to return to the Catholic Faith with Jesus prayer to the Father: that all may be one; one family, one Catholic Church.\