Happy Feast Day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus! This feast day has great importance to my husband and myself. For one, my husband proposed to me on this feast day and we are called by God to spread the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the world.
The image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is very popular and one that is easily recognized. This image was given by Our Lord to St. Margret Mary of Alacoque. She was a French nun, who was born in 1647 and had a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She had many visions of our Lord, but it wasn’t until December 27th, (also my birthday) 1693 that the Lord revealed His Sacred Heart. December 27th is also the feast day of St. John the Evangelist. On this day, St. Margret Mary was praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus came to her in a vision and said that she must take the place of St. John at the Last Supper so that the Lord could use her as His instrument. Jesus then said to St. Margaret Mary, “My divine Heart is so inflamed with love for mankind … that it can no longer contain within itself the flames of its burning charity and must spread them abroad by your means”. (https://sacredheartapostolate.com/devotion/st-margaret-mary-alacoque/) It was on this day that the Lord revealed to her the image of His Sacred Heart.
In the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, you see Jesus Himself and He is pointing to His Sacred Heart. Jesus is pointing to His Heart because He wants us to draw closer to His Heart. “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 St. John 4:16)
His Sacred Heart image also has a flame on the top of His Heart. As Jesus told St. Margaret Mary, “My divine Heart is so inflamed with love for mankind…” The flame represents the burning love the Lord has for the whole world and each and every one of us. As Saint John Paul II eloquently put it, “In the Sacred Heart, every treasure of wisdom and knowledge is hidden. In that divine heart beats God’s infinite love for everyone, for each one of us individually.” (https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/religion-and-philosophy/prayer/the-sacred-heart-and-the-eucharist.html) Meaning, Jesus died for everyone, but He died for us individually. If we were the only person on earth, Jesus would still die for our sins by His suffering and crucifixion.
Around His Heart is the crown of thorns and on top of the flame is the cross. These represent the sufferings Jesus endured for our salvation. These are not just physical sufferings, but also emotional sufferings. Recall, Jesus was being humiliated when the soldiers put the crown on Him. “And when they had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee and mocked him, saying Hail, King of the Jews!” (St. Matthew 27:29). Another emotional suffering was sadness. Jesus knew that despite all the suffering He would endure, there would still be people that would turn away from the Lord, but the Lord still loves them anyway. “Why did you suffer for me, dear Jesus? For love! The nails…the crown…the cross…all for the love of me!” (Saint Gemma Galgani). (https://www.facebook.com/AugustineInst/photos/a.359956814036807/5320795744619531)
If you look very closely at His Heart, you will notice a slit on the left side. This reminds us of when Jesus was pierced on His side. “But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.” (Saint John 19:34) Medical studies have been done on why the blood was separated from the water when they came out of His side. Some doctors believe that Jesus died from a broken heart; that His Heart actually burst.
Lastly, there are bright rays of light coming from His Sacred Heart. These rays signify the Glory of God. “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” (Revelation 21:23)
Prior to receiving the Sacred Heart image, Jesus came to St. Margaret Mary in other visions. He told her to go to receive the Eucharist, establish a Holy Hour, and go to Confession on the first Friday of every month for nine consecutive months. The Holy Hour can be alone or with a group in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus also instructed her to institute a feast day of reparation for the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi. Those who practice the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus are to receive the 12 promises:
- I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
- I will establish peace in their families.
- I will console them in all their troubles.
- They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of their death.
- I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
- Sinners shall find in My Heart the source of an infinite ocean of mercy.
- Tepid souls shall become fervent.
- Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
- I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
- I will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.
- Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced.
- The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under my displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My heart shall be their assured refuge at that last hour.
Source: https://sacredheartapostolate.com/devotion/the-twelve-promises/
If you need helping finding a Mass time during the day on Friday, I encourage you to use https://masstimes.org/ . This is a free site that allows you to search Mass times for any area in the United States. All you need to enter is a zip code, or city and state.
If you are not able to receive the Eucharist, or able to go to Mass, I encourage to venerate the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “And since there is in the Sacred Heart a symbol and a sensible image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love one another, therefore is it fit and proper that we should consecrate ourselves to His most Sacred Heart – an act which is nothing else than an offering and a binding of oneself to Jesus Christ, seeing that whatever honor, veneration and love is given to this divine Heart is really and truly given to Christ Himself.” (Pope Leo XIII) (https://slmedia.org/blog/10-prayers-and-quotes-for-the-solemnity-of-the-sacred-heart)
The most Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!
