Margaret Mary Alocoque
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Today is the Feast of St. Margaret Mary Alocoque to whom Jesus revealed His Sacred Heart on December 27, 1673
Of this encounter with Jesus she writes: While I was praying before the Eucharist, Jesus presented Himself to me, all resplendent with glory, His Five Wounds shining like so many suns. Flames issued from every part of His Sacred Humanity, especially from His chest, which resembled an open furnace and disclosed to me His most loving Heart, which was the living source of these flames. It was then that He made known to me the indescribable and excessive love he has for all people, most from whom He receives only ingratitude and contempt.
“My divine Heart,” he told me, “is so passionately fond of the human race...that it cannot keep back the pent-up flames of its burning charity any longer. They must burst out through you and reveal my Heart to the world, so as to enrich mankind with my precious treasures. I’m letting you see them now; and they include all the graces of sanctification needed to snatch men from the very brink of hell.”
Next, he asked for my heart. I begged him to take it; he did, and placed it in his own divine Heart. He let me see it there—a tiny atom being completely burned up in that fiery furnace. Then, lifting it out—now a little heart-shaped flame—he put it back where he had found it. “There, my well-beloved,” I heard him saying, “that’s a precious proof of my love for you, hiding in your side a little spark from its hottest flames. That will be your heart from now on; it will burn you up—to your very last breath; its intense heat will never diminish…
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In the Eucharist, Jesus offers us His Sacred Heart, which is a burning furnace of love to transform us as fire transforms whatever it touches.
And the Mass is an exchange of hearts. At Mass the Priest will invite you to “Lift up your heart” to which we should respond by offering our heart to Jesus saying “We lift them up to the Lord”
Then Jesus gives His Sacred Heart to us in Communion
· See – the Mass is an exchange of Hearts
Jesus revealed to Margaret Mary that one of the greatest ways we can love Him in return is simply by going to Mass as often as we can, daily if possible, to offer Jesus our own heart and to receive His Sacred Heart in the Eucharist with gratitude and love.
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Jesus gave 12 Promises to those who will love him without reserve in the Eucharist and strive will all their might to do and surrender to His will.
1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
2. I will establish peace in their homes.
3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
4. I will be their secure refuge during life and, above all, in death.
5. I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.
6. Sinners will find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls will quickly mount to high perfection.
9. I will bless every place in which an image of my Heart is exposed and honored.
10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who promote this devotion will have their names written in my Heart.
12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my disgrace or without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.
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The twelve promises of the Sacred Heart come with one condition, that we open our soul to God through a deeper conversion. Most of us have one big problem though. We convert, meaning we turn away from the big sins of our past, we begin to live a better life than we did before and then we find a comfortable place of mediocrity and we settle in. We find this place where we don’t commit grave sins, but we also don’t desire or strive for a burning love for God. Then we become lukewarm and we justify it because we are not chainsaw murderers.
Jesus came and showed His Sacred Heart to Margaret Mary, a heart consumed with the flames of divine love for us – to show us how immensely He loves us unconditionally. He wants to set us ablaze for the love of God and neighbor. But we resist because we hold on to and justify our vices and disordered loves.
Why do I not love the Sacred Heart of Jesus with a burning love? If I am honest, I would admit that I love others things more.
If we want to love the Heart of Jesus more. Then go and receive him more often at daily Mass. Remember, His Heart is a furnace of divine love. He will set your heart on fire. Then spend more time in silence and solitude with him in friendship in prayer. Make the choice for more time with Jesus in prayer. You will immediately see what prevents or distracts you, then you will see what your disordered attachments are? We have our responsibilities and Jesus wants us to live a balanced life. But we choose lesser goods over Jesus who is the greatest good. Love the lesser things less and the greatest thing more.
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We do not burn with a hunger and thirst for the Sacred Heart of Jesus because we are full to our gills materially and with entertainment. God gave us a grace to reassess our lives during covid and get our priorities straight. But now we have been set free from most of the covid restrictions and we are going back to our old ways. I fear we are going the wrong direction. More food, more drink, more pleasure, more experiences – however good these might be – they will never be enough. Haven’t we been down this road before. It wasn’t then and it wont be now. God alone satisfies the deep hunger of our soul. Jesus offers the only thing that will satisfy our hunger and thirst and that is His Sacred Heart. Hit pause – look at your life – where are you trying to find your happiness?