Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make our hearts like unto Thine.
June is the month of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is the perfect time to rekindle this devotion in our own hearts and to review the great graces He desires to give us.
Jesus’ Heart is the very image of His burning love for us. It is aflame with love, crowned with the thorns that pierced His Sacred Head during His Passion, wounded by the spear that drew out the very last drops of His Precious Blood. This divine Heart beats now, at this very instant, with love for you, for me, and for all men. It calls to us constantly to return His love—and indeed, who could turn away from such utterly complete, self-donating, uncompromising love?
In addition to the infinite treasures of His love and the salvation that He won for us, Our Lord offers twelve extraordinary promises to those who devote themselves to His Sacred Heart. Revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century, these promises show us in no uncertain terms just how much Our Lord desires this devotion:
- I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
- I will establish peace in their homes.
- I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
- I 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.
- Fervent souls shall 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 shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart.
- 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.
The twelfth promise refers to the First Friday devotion—a very easy way to insert devotion to the Sacred Heart into our monthly routines. All we have to do is receive Holy Communion on nine consecutive First Fridays (ensuring we go to Confession beforehand if we are not in a state of grace), offering these Communions in reparation for the sins committed against the Sacred Heart.
There are many other additional, daily ways to place ourselves in the Heart of Christ. A simple thought of love and affection means so much to Him. “Jesus, I trust in You!” or “Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!” are other little prayers we can offer to more firmly bind ourselves to this Heart that loves us so much. +
Set me as a seal upon your heart,
Song of Songs 8:6-7
as a seal upon your arm;
for love is strong as death,
jealousy is cruel as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
A shorter version of this article was originally published on Get Fed. To learn more about the Sacred Heart and deepen your devotion, sign up for Good Catholic’s series, The Sacred Heart.
