The Sacred Heart
Of all the visions that Jacinta Gonzalez had in Garabandal, one
stands out over all the rest — her vision of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
While
the other three girls were in ecstasy seeing Saint Michael, Jacinta was
seeing Jesus. He was about ten feet away standing on a small, white
cloud slightly above the ground. He was incomparably beautiful; "the
handsomest of men" as Jacinta said. He wore a white robe with a red
outer garment that hung diagonally down across His body from the right
shoulder. His heart, exposed off-center to His left, was a brilliant red
with rays of both white and gold streaming from it.
With His left
hand, he pointed to His heart and with His right, He beckoned the girl
to come. His entire body gave off brilliant rays that surpassed in
brightness the subsequent appearances of Our Lady. The vision was set
against a cloud-like background.
What most impressed Jacinta was the
infinite love that seemed to radiate from Jesus' gaze, penetrating her
heart, and His gestures that seemed to invite her and all mankind to
enter into His Sacred Heart.
Interview with Fr. Benac
On December 23, 1978, Jacinta was interviewed by Father Francis
Benac, S.J., at her home in California. Here are excerpts from that
interview:
Father Benac: We have read about your vision of the Sacred Heart. Please tell me about this experience.
Jacinta: I recall a day when the four of us went a little further up
[in the lane] from where the angel had first appeared — no one from the
village followed us — when suddenly the other three fell into ecstasy
seeing the angel. I was a little behind and seeing them in ecstasy I
said to myself: "But I don't see anything." Then suddenly like a flash, I
saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus which made a deep impression on me. He
did not speak to me, but His gaze penetrated deep into my heart.
Benac: What impressed you most?
Jacinta: His eyes, His look — a gaze that penetrated so deeply into me that I cannot explain it.
Benac: What were your thoughts at that moment?
Jacinta: Oh, Father, more than seeing Our Lady, this vision of the
Sacred Heart had the greatest impact on me even though I did not see Him
again. Whenever I see His image, I have an intense feeling of suddenly
seeing someone very dear.
Benac: Do you still feel this?
Jacinta: Oh yes. Whenever I see His image or talk about Him just as
we're doing now, I feel within me something I cannot explain.
Benac: When you passed through the period of the doubts, did you also doubt this vision?
Jacinta: No Father. This vision has always remained vivid in my mind. I
remember telling my mother that I may have doubted seeing Our Lady or
the angel, but regarding this vision of the Sacred Heart even if I were
to die, I would insist on its truth. It is something I have never
doubted.
Benac: Did this particular vision lead you to a greater love of God? Did you think that He wanted something special from you?
Jacinta: I can't answer that since He didn't speak to me. But my heart did grow much closer to His.
https://www.garabandal.it/en/live-garabandal/spirituality/376-sacred-heart
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