Every spring, 19 days after Pentecost, on the Friday after we celebrate the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I always love learning about the history of our Catholic devotions. Where does this tradition of the Sacred Heart of Jesus come from? Back in the 11th century, devout Christians developed a devotion to the five wounds of Jesus. Focusing on his passion and death, they grew in love for the suffering and death he endured for us. In 1670, a French priest named Jean Eudes celebrated the first feast of the Sacred Heart. Around that same time, French nun Mary Margaret Alacoque started having visions of Jesus. Through these visions, Jesus expressed to her his desire to be honored under the figure of his heart and to have the faithful to receive reception of the Eucharist, especially on the first Friday of the month, which is how the first Friday devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus developed.
Jesus’ love burns for us in his Sacred Heart. In the image of the Sacred Heart, it is literally on fire. At the same time, the Sacred Heart is pierced with a lance and surrounded by a crown of thorns. As Jesus pours out his love for us through his passion and through his sacrifice on the cross, we unfortunately continue to wound him by our sins. We also continue to reject his merciful love by not loving him and by not loving our brothers and sisters. Jesus desperately offers us his love. May we appreciate this offer of love. As we honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus today, I would like to close with this prayer:
Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: O most holy heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you, and with lively sorrow for my sins I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, Good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger. Comfort me in my afflictions. Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.
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