Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven
“Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and proceeded toward Haran. When he came upon a certain place ,he stopped there for the night, since the sun had already set. Taking one of the stones at the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. Then he had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground, with its top reaching to the heavens; and God’s angels were going up and down on it. [...] When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, "Truly the Lord is in this place and I did not know it!" He was afraid and said:
"How awesome this place is! This is nothing else but the house of God,
the gateway to heaven!" (Genesis 28:10-12, 16-17). And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51) So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came [before me] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy: I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:7–10)
This Litany invocation calls on two images and terms of the Heart of Jesus. It is not only a temple and a shrine. It is also a home and a gate. We are free to call the Heart of Jesus God's home, or "God's dwelling." In Him, "the fullness of the Deity" dwells. It is also allowed to define the Divine Heart as the "gate of heaven", because thanks to the Love of Christ, heaven is open to us.
This two-part invocation has its roots in the Scriptures. The heart of Jesus is depicted in the form of the metaphor of the House. Human homes do not have the majesty of temples or shrines. But they are necessary for everyday life. They give a sense of closeness and peace. The heart of Jesus is such a home.
It offers man peace and a sense of security.
The heart of Jesus is also the "gate of heaven", that is, the place where heaven meets earth, in which the God meets the human. Each gate opens a new perspective and introduces a new path. You have to go through it to reach your goal. In the Bible, "the gate of heaven" meant a special closeness to God. The images of the house of God and the gates to heaven intermingle with each other. As the "home", the Heart of Jesus is also the "gate". The heart of Jesus is a spiritual dwelling that one enters through faith, and one can only stay there through love. There you can take refuge during hours of trouble and in various dangers. The heart of Jesus is a home where all the children of God's family can gather and enjoy God's presence, love and peace.
LIVE THE WORD!
Look at yourself, your life and your behavior. Remember that you are the home of the living God and reflect on what kind of temple you are. Invite God to your life, to your everyday life. Make Him Lord and Host and gate to heaven.