Joseba Kamiruaga Mieza CMF
In Dilexit Nos [He Loved Us], Pope Francis reflects on the theme of love as embodied in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. His fourth encyclical is a profound meditation on Jesus’ heart as the source of God’s love for humanity, challenging us to look beyond superficial faith and social divides, reaching a deeper understanding of love’s role in healing the wounds of modern society. This document addresses all of us, inviting us to understand love as not only central to our faith but as a transformative force essential to addressing social ills, from conflicts to personal disconnection.
The pope observes that society often seems heartless amid its wars and suffering. This insight is highlighted by his poignant image of elderly women from conflict zones facing despair without compassion from the world around them. He expresses that such indifference signals a deep spiritual crisis. In Dilexit Nos, he stresses that this compassion, this heart, should be revived in every person. The “heart” in this context is not merely an emotional symbol but represents the core of human love, commitment, and self-giving that we are called to embody, both individually and in communities.
The Sacred Heart as the essence of the gospel
Pope Francis frames Jesus’ heart as a “synthesis of the gospel,” emphasising that true faith is more than rituals, doctrine, or rules—it is a direct encounter with Jesus Christ. The heart of Jesus, the pope explains, is the root of faith, the “vital nucleus” from which Christian love radiates. For him, to contemplate Christ’s Sacred Heart is to see a mirror of divine love that transcends mere ideology or sentimentality. It is a call for us to live in constant communion with others, countering tendencies towards self-centeredness and superficial relationships.
The pope cautions against a Christianity that has become too preoccupied with structures, reforms, and theoretical ideas. Instead, he encourages a return to the personal relationship with Christ that embraces humility, empathy, and a compassionate presence with others. When we lose sight of the “heart” of our faith, we risk reducing Christianity to moral rules or abstract principles. This, he argues, deprives our faith of its joy, tenderness, and capacity to truly serve others.
This document addresses all of us, inviting us to understand love as not only central to our faith but as a transformative force essential to addressing social ills, from conflicts to personal disconnection
Rediscovering the meaning of “heart”
In Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis reflects on how humanity’s understanding of the “heart” has changed over centuries. Once seen as the essence of a person’s spiritual identity in the traditions of both Homer and the Bible, the “heart” has since been sidelined by rationalism and materialism. The pope believes that reconnecting with this “heart” is key to addressing modern crises, such as the digital world’s potential to depersonalise human interaction. Artificial intelligence, with its ability to predict and influence behaviour, shows us that our thoughts and decisions can become uniform and manipulable. But the heart—the inner depth of each person—remains unique, free from such control, embodying individual love and creativity.
To illustrate this, the pope shares a personal memory from his youth: making empanadas with his mother and grandmother, using a fork to seal the dough. This memory, which combines playfulness and responsibility, resonates deeply with him and is a powerful example of how small, loving moments shape our identity. Such memories, he says, cannot be replaced by artificial means; they define us in ways that no algorithm ever could. In rediscovering the heart, we recover the beauty of personal encounters, the richness of individual experiences, and the courage to love sincerely.
The power of tender faith
Pope Francis observes that authentic faith is one filled with tenderness, a capacity to joyfully serve and see beauty in one’s dedication to Christ and others. This type of faith seeks to elevate others and binds us in genuine communion. He sees this tenderness as capable of transforming the world because it addresses the imbalance and brokenness rooted in the human heart. Only through the heart can humanity’s violent conflicts, selfishness, and destructive competition be healed.
The pope contrasts this understanding of faith with the Cartesian “I think, therefore I am.” Instead, he suggests that “I am my heart,” pointing out that our true identity is grounded in our deepest relationships and compassionate acts. In the digital era, this idea is vital because our thoughts and behaviours are more predictable than we realise. The heart, however, resists such predictability—it remains the core of individual freedom and creativity.
… the pope shares a personal memory from his youth: making empanadas with his mother and grandmother, using a fork to seal the dough. This memory, which combines playfulness and responsibility, resonates deeply with him and is a powerful example of how small, loving moments shape our identit
A brief history of the Sacred Heart devotion
The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus traces back to 1673, when St. Marguerite-Marie Alacoque experienced visions of Jesus’ heart, crowned by thorns and aflame. Over time, this image became both a symbol of spiritual renewal and a political statement. In the 19th century, Pope Leo XIII and Pope Benedict XV repurposed the Sacred Heart as a symbol of reconciliation and healing, particularly after the devastation of World War I. Pope Francis emphasises that this devotion, deeply rooted in Scripture and tradition, serves as a reminder of God’s profound love for humanity.
He also warns against the dangers of detaching spirituality from daily life. A “spirituality without flesh” or “disembodied transcendence” ignores the tangible ways we encounter God’s love. Embracing the Sacred Heart is, therefore, not an abstract act but one that compels us to love others and engage with the world’s pressing needs.
The crisis of faith and narcissism
Pope Francis highlights how self-centredness, prevalent in today’s culture, can erode our ability to love and, ultimately, to encounter God. A society dominated by narcissism and self-referential thinking lacks the heart to form authentic bonds. This is a serious crisis of faith, he argues, because the “anti-heart” society loses the desire to connect with others and God. Without love, we cannot hope to overcome the challenges posed by modern technology, individualism, or societal fragmentation.
The pope’s solution is for the Church to rediscover the heart as a unifying force for both individuals and communities. He believes that when we embrace our own vulnerability and compassion, we are better able to connect with others, understand our own identity, and deepen our relationship with God.
Love as the foundation of social change
For Pope Francis, love is also at the core of social justice. He links the call to care for our “common home” in his encyclicals Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti with the call to love in Dilexit Nos. A true Christian response to our time’s social and environmental issues must be rooted in this love, which transcends self-interest and enables us to recognise the dignity of every human being. By grounding social change in the love of Christ, the pope believes we can build a world based on unity and compassion, not exploitation and division.
He challenges us to look beyond a world where “everything is bought and paid for.” The culture of consumption and accumulation, driven by a “fever” of distraction and shallow desires, distracts us from the true purpose of life. Christ’s love, which is free and boundless, stands apart from this empty pursuit and offers a pathway to a world where authentic love and community flourish.
Rediscovering the heart for the future
Ultimately, Pope Francis’s vision in Dilexit Nos is not just for the Church but for all of humanity. He sees this focus on the heart as essential for navigating the age of artificial intelligence, environmental crises, and widespread social fragmentation. To truly save humanity, he suggests, we must cultivate a sense of poetry and love that only the heart can provide.
Dilexit Nos is a reminder that the journey toward a just, compassionate, and united world begins within each person’s heart. Pope Francis encourages us to see this as the starting point for both personal and societal transformation. For him, only by rediscovering the heart can humanity heal and flourish as God intended, with love, unity, and peace at the forefront.
