"This is what Yahweh asks of you, only this:
That you act justly,
Love tenderly (hesed),
And walk humbly with your God.”
The Meaning of “HESED”
“Hesed” is a Hebrew word found in the Hebrew Scriptures which is usually translated as “loving kindness,” “faithful love,” “steadfast love,” or “enduring love.” Hesed refers to a covenant relationship between God and God’s people. It is God’s relationship with a people of faith.
This loving relationship between God and God’s people is directed by an inner loyalty toward one another, one in which love is freely given and is characterized by constancy, steadfastness, and trust. It is exactly this meaning of “Hesed” that describes the program of service and care for and with others.
The Hesed Program
Through the Hesed Program, students give life to Sacred Heart Goal Three by actively engaging in community service (40 hours). By choosing a site where they can serve on a consistent and continual basis, the students form reciprocal relationships with the people with whom they work. Through a reflection process which encourages critical thinking and personal reflection, students mature intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. The Hesed Program builds community, enables students to respond to the Gospel call to work for social justice, and leads students to a deepening of personal faith. The Hesed Program is required for students entering the eleventh grade.
Recent Hesed sites include: Camp Arrowhead, Chelsea Boys and Girls Club, Children’s Hospital, Ellis Memorial School, Friends for Tomorrow, the Perkins School for the Blind, Rosie’s Place, the S.P.A.R.K. Center, the West Suburban Y.M.C.A., and Wingate at Needham.