Sacred Heart

Today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque between 1673 and 1675 in Paray, France, just north of Lyon. He gave her four revelations of His Sacred Heart in which he revealed His infinite love for us, but also His sadness at the indifference which He receives and what we could do to console His Sacred Heart.

One

The First Revelation

On December 27th, 1673, the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, remember, he is the Apostle who rested his head on the heart of Jesus at the Last Supper when Jesus gave the world His Sacred Heart in the Eucharist. On this feast Day, as St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was in Eucharistic Adoration, Jesus appeared to her and allowed her to rest her head on his chest just as John the Apostle had done, and Jesus disclosed the marvels of His Sacred Heart to her. 

Then he said to her, "My Divine Heart is so inflamed with love for all people that I am unable to keep them pent up any longer, that is why I need you, as the Apostle of My Sacred Heart, to make known to all people the love of My Sacred Heart so that I may enrich them with My Divine Life and save them from Hell.”

Margaret felt ashamed that her heart was so cold. Jesus, knowing how she felt asked her to give Him her heart which she begged him to take. Jesus took her cold heart and placed it in his Own Sacred Heart which is a burning furnace of love. Then He took her heart out of this furnace of love and put it back in the place of her heart. He said to her, “That is how your heart will be set on fire – by continuously giving your heart to me and receiving My Sacred heart in return.”

Well, if Margaret Mary felt that her heart was cold, then my heart is frozen. Maybe you feel that way too. What can we do? 

The Mass is an exchange of hearts. At Mass we are invited to offer our hearts to Jesus when the priest says, “Lift up your hearts,” and we say, “We lift them up to the Lord.”

Then Jesus gives us His Sacred Heart in the Eucharist at Communion which is a burning furnace of love to set our hearts on fire. The Mass is an exchange of hearts. What a wonderful way to have our cold hearts set on fire!

Two

The Second Revelation

In June of 1674, Jesus again appeared to Margaret Mary all resplendent with glory, His Five Wounds shining like so many suns. Flames issued from every part of His Sacred Humanity, especially from His Sacred Heart, which resembled an open furnace burning with love. It was then that He made known to her the ineffable marvels of His pure love and showed her to what excess He had loved us, but from most people He received only ingratitude and contempt.

Then Jesus said, "I feel this more than all that I suffered during My Passion. If only they would make Me some return for My Love, I would think little of all I have done for them and would wish, were it possible, to suffer still more. But the sole return they make for all My eagerness to do them good is to reject Me and treat Me with coldness. I beg you to console my Heart by making up for their ingratitude, as far as you are able."

Then Jesus revealed a really simple way to love Him and make up for all the indifference and contempt He receives, a simple way to console His heart. He just asked that we go to Mass and receive Him in the Eucharist with love as often as we can, as often as the duties of our state in life will allow. Could we not go to one extra daily Mass a week, or even daily if possible, to Love Jesus in return for all He has done for us?

Three

The Third Revelation

On June 16th, 1675, during the eight days in preparation for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi Jesus appeared again to St. Margaret Mary. He said, "Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love; and in return, I receive from the greater part of humanity only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love.”

Then Jesus asked that the Friday after Corpus Christi be established as a special feast honoring His Sacred Heart. On this day we can honor His Heart and receive Him in Holy Communion with Love. In this way, we can console His Sacred Heart and make up for all the indifference and contempt He receives. 

Jesus said, “I promise you that My Heart will expand Itself to shed in abundance the influence of Its Divine Love upon those who honor It, and cause It to be honored."

Four

The Fourth Revelation

Finally, Jesus asked that we receive Him in the Eucharist on the first Friday of nine consecutive months as a way of loving Him and making up for all those who refuse to love Him. In this way, we can console the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

He said, "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, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

Five

Jesus gave twelve promises to those who will love His Sacred Heart

“My Sacred Heart will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life; I will establish peace in their homes; comfort them in all their afflictions. My Heart will be their secure refuge during life and, above all, in death. I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings. Sinners will find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy. Lukewarm souls shall become fervent while fervent souls will quickly mount to high perfection. I will bless every place in which an image of my Heart is exposed and honored. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts. Those who promote this devotion will have their names written in my Heart.”

There are twelve promises but there is one condition – conversion! We must be willing to convert, to change. How in the world will we do that?

It is a work of the Holy Spirit. So, ask the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit. But then you must do your part. Conversion on our part is the fruit of daily meditation, a daily resolution, and removing the things from your life that cause you to sin!