“I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the Heart of Jesus.” These were some of the last words of Visitation nun St Margaret Mary Alacoque, who died in the year 1690. She lived a holy life and had a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Born into a large Catholic family in 1647 in France, she grew up with a special devotion to Jesus and the Blessed sacrament. She was bedridden by a mysterious illness at the age of 15. She prayed to the Blessed Mother, promising that if she was healed she would take religious vows. She was cured of her illness.
Entering the convent at the age of 23, she had three apparitions from Jesus, revealing to her messages from his sacred heart, including the First Friday devotion of each month and an annual feast day of the Sacred heart, which have become popular devotions in the Catholic faith. She worked hard to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart, with the devotion first starting locally after it was approved by the local bishop, and then spreading throughout France. After her death, with books published about her life, the devotion became even more popular. In 1765, the devotion to the Sacred Heart was officially approved by Rome, and, in 1856, the feast of the Sacred Heart was made a universal solemnity by Pope Pius IX. St Margaret Mary is known throughout the world as the beloved disciple of the Sacred heart.
These last couple of weeks, we’ve been hearing from St Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Yesterday, at daily Mass, we started hearing from his letter to the Ephesians. Paul had founded the Christian community in Ephesus on his second missionary journey. He later returned to Ephesus, where he stayed approximately 3 years. The letter to the Ephesians was written to that community while St Paul was in prison in Rome. Scholars believe that in addition to Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were also written while he was in prison. The importance of praising God is a main theme of this letter. Paul praises God who is in the person and work of Jesus Christ and in the Gospel message. After a brief greeting, Paul’s first words in his letter to the Ephesians begin, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.”
May we give thanks to special messengers like St Margaret Mary and St Paul that God has sent to us throughout the ages. May there messages continue to resonate in us.
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