Archbishop Travas Reflects on the Sacred Heart as the Model for Christian Conversion and Mission
Lahore – June 27, 2025
The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was celebrated with great solemnity and spiritual depth at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore, presided over by His Grace Archbishop Benny Mario Travas, Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Lahore.
Concelebrating with him were Rev. Fr. Pascal Paulus OP, Rev. Fr. Inayat Bernard, and numerous priests from across the Archdiocese. The celebration brought together a large number of the faithful, including seminarians, religious men and women, and sisters from various congregations. The liturgy was followed by a joyful cake-cutting ceremony and a festive dinner with the clergy and community..
In his homily, Archbishop Travas opened with a powerful theme drawn from Scripture and the modern cry for compassion:
“In a world hardened by violence, indifference, and injustice, the Heart of Jesus calls us to reclaim a heart of flesh.”
Recalling the words of the prophet Ezekiel—“I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26)—His Grace reflected on a harrowing example: the anguish of a young Hazara girl in Quetta, whose community was ravaged by terrorism. Her words, “Not even animals treat each other like this,” became a lens through which the Archbishop invited all to examine the condition of our own hearts:
“Do we still have hearts of mercy and tenderness, or have we become numb to the pain of others?”
Three Pillars of the Sacred Heart: St. Teresa of Avila’s Path
Drawing on the wisdom of St. Teresa of Avila, the Archbishop structured his reflection around three spiritual pillars for those who seek to form their hearts after Christ’s Sacred Heart:
Humility, Detachment, and Charity.
- Humility
Recalling the Gospel account of Jesus sending His disciples to fetch a donkey before His entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:31), the Archbishop shared the story of a priest who chose the verse “The Master has need of it” as his ordination motto—embracing the humility of being like the docile animal, used for the Lord’s mission.“To follow Christ and form our hearts like His, humility is essential,” the Archbishop said. “The Sacred Heart is a humble heart.” - Detachment
Using the parable of a beggar who received a priceless stone from a mystic but returned it in search of the spirit of detachment, Archbishop Travas warned of being enslaved by worldly possessions.“Jesus teaches us, ‘If anyone wants to be my disciple, let him deny himself.’ True discipleship begins with letting go.” - Charity
Referring to the example of St. Vincent de Paul, the Archbishop emphasized that the Sacred Heart leads us toward the poor, the suffering, and the forgotten.“A heart that resembles Christ’s must move us to acts of mercy, compassion, and love,” he said. “Only a heart filled with Christ’s charity can recognize Him in the most abandoned.”
The Archbishop also quoted a proverb from renowned writer Ardeshir Cowasjee saying:
“You can judge the greatness of a human being by how they treat the animals.”
He adapted it for the priesthood:
“You can judge the greatness of a priest by how he treats his coworkers.”
Living the Sacred Heart Today
Archbishop Travas concluded with a stirring call to action:“Let us pray that we may receive the courage to live with hearts like the Heart of Jesus—humble, detached, and filled with love. Only then will we be true disciples, continuing the mission of Christ in the world.”
The Catholics: Lahore Focus
Informed by Truth, United in Faith
www.catholicslahorefocus.com
Share it:
