MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS
Feast: Third Friday after Pentecost
Rank: Solemnity
Rank: Solemnity
Among the wonderful developments in Sacred Doctrine and Devotion which have served to etch out the plan of Divine Wisdom ever more sharply in the Church, scarcely anything stands out so clearly as the increase in devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Often enough in times past the Fathers, Doctors and Saints paid tribute to our Redeemer's Love, declaring that the Wound opened in His Side was the hidden spring of all graces.
Beginning in the Middle Ages, when popular piety began to be characterised by a more tender devotion to the Sacred Humanity of our Saviour, it became almost habitual for contemplative souls to penetrate beyond that Wound to the very Heart which was wounded for Love of men.
From that time on, this kind of contemplation became so familiar to certain dedicated souls, that the era found no country or religious order lacking noted witnesses to the devotion.
In the more recent times, especially with the attempts by heretics to deter Christians from Holy Communion by the claims of a false piety, devotion to the Most Sacred Heart began to be practised publicly. This was principally due to the efforts of St. John Eudes, who is rightly credited with being the promoter of public devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
But God chose His Own Instrument for the full and perfect establishment of devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and for Its spread throughout the world. He chose from the Visitation Order a virgin of deepest humility, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. To this maiden, marked from her earliest years by burning love for the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Christ our Lord appeared on numerous occasions, granting her an understanding of the riches of His Divine Heart, as well as of that Hearts' desires.
In the most celebrated of these apparitions, Jesus revealed Himself before her eyes as she prayed in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament, showed her His Most Sacred Heart and voiced His Sorrow that, for all His Great Love for men, He had received nothing but the reproaches of ingrates.
He asked her to work for the the establishment of a new Feast on the Friday after the Octave Day of Corpus Christi; on this day His Heart should be honoured with the reverence due It, and fitting expiation should be made for sins against Him in the Sacrament of Love. No one is unaware of the extant and number of obstacles encountered by the Lord's handmaid in following up Christ's Command.
But the Lord Himself was her Strength; moreover, she had the active support of her spiritual directors, men whose own zeal in working for the promotion of this devotion was outstanding. Thus to the end of her life she never let up in her dedicated commitment to the Heaven-sent mission.
At length, in 1765, Pope Clement XIII gave approval to an Office and Mass in honour of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus; then Pius IX extended the Feast to the entire Church. After that, devotion to the Most Sacred Heart spread over the whole world, submerging all obstacles like a river in flood.
At the turn of the new century, with a jubilee year proclaimed, Leo XIII determined to dedicate the human race to the Most Sacred Heart.This consecration took place with solemn ceremonies in all Catholic Churches throughout the world. It has occasioned a remarkable growth of this devotion, drawing to it whole peoples as well as individual families. Great numbers of these dedicated themselves to the Divine Heart and put themselves under their King's control.
Finally, to make the solemnity of this Feast correspond more fully with this devotion of the Christian People, now so widespread, Pope Pius XI raised it to the rank of a double of the first class with octave. Moreover, he ordered that on this day each year, an act of reparation be recited in all Churches of the Christian world. The purpose of this was to make satisfaction for the violence done to the Rights of Christ as Greatest of Kings, Most Loving of Lords, and by so doing, to show contrition for the sins of all men.
Devotion to the Most Sacred Heart is an important part of Catholic worship. By consecrating ourselves and our families to the Heart of Jesus, we unite ourselves to His Love, to His Life and to His Suffering. And through our union, we already unite to the Most Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Christ Himself blessed those who exposed an Image of this Sacred Font of Love, and venerated it. He also blessed those who would expose His Heart to others, converting them to the True Religion that He founded.
So on the Feast of this Heart of Love, let us make reparation for the offences with which It is afflicted; let us offer our sacrifices and prayers to comfort the Son of Mary. Let each of us take this Beautiful Babe and caress His Head. Let us venerate His Heart, which is above all hearts!
For the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ!
Beginning in the Middle Ages, when popular piety began to be characterised by a more tender devotion to the Sacred Humanity of our Saviour, it became almost habitual for contemplative souls to penetrate beyond that Wound to the very Heart which was wounded for Love of men.
From that time on, this kind of contemplation became so familiar to certain dedicated souls, that the era found no country or religious order lacking noted witnesses to the devotion.
In the more recent times, especially with the attempts by heretics to deter Christians from Holy Communion by the claims of a false piety, devotion to the Most Sacred Heart began to be practised publicly. This was principally due to the efforts of St. John Eudes, who is rightly credited with being the promoter of public devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
But God chose His Own Instrument for the full and perfect establishment of devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and for Its spread throughout the world. He chose from the Visitation Order a virgin of deepest humility, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. To this maiden, marked from her earliest years by burning love for the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Christ our Lord appeared on numerous occasions, granting her an understanding of the riches of His Divine Heart, as well as of that Hearts' desires.
In the most celebrated of these apparitions, Jesus revealed Himself before her eyes as she prayed in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament, showed her His Most Sacred Heart and voiced His Sorrow that, for all His Great Love for men, He had received nothing but the reproaches of ingrates.
He asked her to work for the the establishment of a new Feast on the Friday after the Octave Day of Corpus Christi; on this day His Heart should be honoured with the reverence due It, and fitting expiation should be made for sins against Him in the Sacrament of Love. No one is unaware of the extant and number of obstacles encountered by the Lord's handmaid in following up Christ's Command.
But the Lord Himself was her Strength; moreover, she had the active support of her spiritual directors, men whose own zeal in working for the promotion of this devotion was outstanding. Thus to the end of her life she never let up in her dedicated commitment to the Heaven-sent mission.
At length, in 1765, Pope Clement XIII gave approval to an Office and Mass in honour of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus; then Pius IX extended the Feast to the entire Church. After that, devotion to the Most Sacred Heart spread over the whole world, submerging all obstacles like a river in flood.
At the turn of the new century, with a jubilee year proclaimed, Leo XIII determined to dedicate the human race to the Most Sacred Heart.This consecration took place with solemn ceremonies in all Catholic Churches throughout the world. It has occasioned a remarkable growth of this devotion, drawing to it whole peoples as well as individual families. Great numbers of these dedicated themselves to the Divine Heart and put themselves under their King's control.
Finally, to make the solemnity of this Feast correspond more fully with this devotion of the Christian People, now so widespread, Pope Pius XI raised it to the rank of a double of the first class with octave. Moreover, he ordered that on this day each year, an act of reparation be recited in all Churches of the Christian world. The purpose of this was to make satisfaction for the violence done to the Rights of Christ as Greatest of Kings, Most Loving of Lords, and by so doing, to show contrition for the sins of all men.
Devotion to the Most Sacred Heart is an important part of Catholic worship. By consecrating ourselves and our families to the Heart of Jesus, we unite ourselves to His Love, to His Life and to His Suffering. And through our union, we already unite to the Most Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Christ Himself blessed those who exposed an Image of this Sacred Font of Love, and venerated it. He also blessed those who would expose His Heart to others, converting them to the True Religion that He founded.
So on the Feast of this Heart of Love, let us make reparation for the offences with which It is afflicted; let us offer our sacrifices and prayers to comfort the Son of Mary. Let each of us take this Beautiful Babe and caress His Head. Let us venerate His Heart, which is above all hearts!
For the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ!