SACRED HEART OF JESUS-GLOBAL ROSARY
Romans,
Chapter 5,
Verse 3-5
3 Not only that, but we even boast
of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, 4
and endurance, proven
character, and proven character, hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been
poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Paul is telling us that Christ has
brought God’s love for us to the forefront while justification and
righteousness recede to the background. We have a new life at peace with God.
This peace leads us to confidence and compels us to live a new life. Christ
died for us while we were at our worst. As difficult to believe or accept as
that might be, we have the proof of it in our hearts where God’s love has
placed the Holy Spirit to guide us in the new life. Faith triumphs in trouble.[1]
ALTHOUGH many pious souls
had been accustomed, in the silence of their secluded lives, to venerate the
sacred Heart of Jesus with great devotion, still our divine Saviour desired
that the boundless love of His Heart might be known by all men, and that a new
fire of love should thereby be kindled in the cold hearts of Christians. For
this purpose, He made use of a frail and little-known instrument in the person
of Margaret Mary Alacoque, a nun of the Order of the Visitation, at
Parayle-Monial, France. One day, when, according to her custom during the
octave of Corpus Christi, she was deeply engaged in devotions before the
Blessed Sacrament, the divine Saviour appeared to her, showed her His Heart
burning with love, and said:
“Behold this Heart, which has so loved men that it
has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to
testify its love. In return I receive from the greater part only ingratitude,
by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have
for Me in this sacrament of love. And what is most painful to Me is that they
are hearts consecrated to Me. It is for this reason I ask thee that the first
Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi be appropriated to a special feast to
honor My Heart by communicating on that day and making reparation for the
indignity that it has received. And I promise that My Heart shall dilate to
pour out abundantly the influences of its love on all that will render it this
honor or procure its being rendered.”
Margaret obeyed, but met
everywhere the greatest opposition, until finally, when she became mistress of
novices, she succeeded, by the help of her divine Spouse, in animating her
young charges to enerate the sacred Heart of Jesus. But this twas not
sufficient for her zeal. She persevered until she softened the opposition of
the nuns, and kindled in all an equal devotion towards the most sacred Heart.
Thence the devotion spread to the adjoining dioceses, where confraternities in
honor of the most sacred Heart of Jesus soon sprung up. Pope Clement XIII.,
after having instituted a most rigorous examination of the whole affair,
commanded that the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus should be solemnly
celebrated throughout the whole Catholic Church every year, on the first Friday
after the octave of Corpus Christi.
THE DEVOTION TO THE SACRED
HEART OF JESUS.
I.
Object of this Devotion.
In the divine Heart of Our Saviour we must not imagine an inanimate
heart, separated from the person of Christ, but the living heart of the
God-Man, the centre of all His affections, the fountain of all His virtues, the
most touching emblem of His in finite love to man. The Church venerates the
cross, the blood, and the wounds of the divine Saviour, by feasts which have
their proper masses and lessons, in order, by meditation upon these objects, to
awaken in us a more fervent devotion to the Redeemer. How much more worthy,
then, of our devotion is the sacred Heart of Our Saviour, since all its
thoughts, movements, and affections aim at our salvation, and it is always
ready to receive truly penitent sinners, to pardon them, to restore them again
to God s favor, and make them partakers of eternal happiness
II.
Excellence of this Devotion.
It is, writes the venerable
P. Simon Gourdan:
1. A holy devotion, for therein men venerate in
Christ those affections and motions of His Heart by which He sanctified the
Church, glorified His Heavenly Father, and showed Himself to men as a perfect
example of the most sublime holiness.
2. An ancient devotion of the Catholic Church,
which, instructed by St. Paul, the great apostle, has at all times ac
knowledged the great beneficence of the divine and sacred Heart of Jesus.
3. An approved devotion, for the Holy Scriptures
every where admonish us to renew the heart, by changing our lives; to penetrate
it with true sorrow, to inflame it with divine love, and to adorn it by the
practice of all virtues. When, therefore, a new heart is promised us, by which
to direct our lives, that can be no other than the Heart of Jesus, which is to
us the pattern of all excellence, and which we must follow if we would be
saved.
4. A perfect devotion, as being the origin of all other
devotions. For the Heart of Jesus is the inexhaustible treasury from which the
blessed Mother of God, and all other saints have derived their graces, their
virtues, their life, their spiritual goods. Filled first with treasures from
this source, different servants of God have instituted and established other
devotions.
5. A profitable devotion, for thereby we have
brought before our eyes the very fountain of life and grace, and can draw
directly from it, increasing in ourselves all virtues, by adoring this divine
Heart, meditating on its holy affections, and endeav oring to imitate them.
6. A devotion pleasing to God, for thus we adore
God, as Christ requires, in spirit and in truth, serving Him inwardly in our
hearts, and endeavoring to please Him. Finally, it is:
7. A useful devotion, since its whole object is to
unite us most intimately with Christ as members of Him, her head, to make us
live by and according to His spirit, to have one heart and soul with Him, and
through grace finally to become one with Him, which is and must be the object
of all devotions.
As this devotion is, then,
so excellent, we cannot sufficiently recommend it to all who are anxious for
their salvation. “While everyone can practise this devotion, and adore the
sacred Heart of Jesus, by himself, there is a greater blessing when pious souls
unite and form a confraternity for practising the devotion. Of such
confraternities there were in the year 1726 more than three hundred, and they
are now established throughout all Catholic countries. Hesitate not, Christian
soul, to engage in this devotion, and to join in the adoration of that sacred
Heart of Jesus in which all men find propitiation, the pious, confidence;
sinners, hope; the afflicted, consolation; the sick, support; the dying, refuge
; the elect, joy and delight.
The Introit of the Mass for
this feast is : “He will have mercy according to the multitude of His mercies,
for He hath not willingly afflicted nor cast off the children of men; the Lord
is good to them that hope in Him, to the soul that seeketh Him, alleluia,
alleluia” (Lamentations iii. 32-35). “The mercies of the Lord I will sing
forever to generation and generation” (Ps.
Ixxxviii. 2).
Prayer. Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who, glorying in the most
sacred Heart of Thy Son, commemorate the chief benefits of His charity towards
us, may equally rejoice in their acts and fruits.
EPISTLE. Isaias
xii. 1-6.
I will give thanks to Thee,
O Lord, for Thou wast angry with me: Thy wrath is turned away, and Thou hast
comforted me. Behold God is my Saviour. I will deal confidently, and will not
fear; because the Lord is my strength, and my praise, and He is become my
salvation. You shall draw waters with joy out of the Saviour’s fountains. And
you shall say in that day: Praise ye the Lord, and call upon His name: make His
inventions known among the people: remember that His name is high. Sing ye to
the Lord, for He hath done great things: show this forth in all the earth.
Rejoice, and praise, O thou habitation of Sion: for great is He that is in the
midst of thee, the Holy One of Israel.
Explanation. This epistle is a song of gratitude for the deliverance of the Jews from
the hands of their enemies, and at the same time a prophecy of the coming
redemption of mankind from sin and death, through Jesus Christ. “You shall draw
waters with joy out of the Saviour s fountains.” These fountains are the graces
which Christ has obtained for us on the cross, but particularly, says St.
Augustine, the holy sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. We should rejoice over
these graces, particularly that the Holy One of Israel, Jesus, the Son of God,
is in the midst of Sion, that is, the Catholic Church, in the Most Holy
Sacrament of the Eucharist, remaining therein until the end of time. Oh, let us
often approach the ever-flowing fountain of all graces, the Most Holy
Eucharist, and with confidence draw consolation, assistance, strength, and
power from this fountain of love!
GOSPEL. John
xix. 31-35.
At that time the Jews (because it was the
Parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath-day
(for that was a great Sabbath-day), besought Pilate that their legs might be
broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore, came: and
they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him.
But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they
did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers, with a spear, opened His side,
and immediately there came out blood and water. And he that saw it hath given testimony:
and his testimony is true.
Explanation. According to the Jewish law, a criminal could not be put to death, nor
could the body of one who had been executed remain on the place of execution,
on the Sabbath-day. The Jews, therefore, asked Pilate that the bodies of Jesus
and the two thieves should be buried; but before this could be done, according
to the Roman law, the legs of the crucified had to be broken with an iron mace:
this the soldiers did to the two thieves, who were still alive; but when they
found that Jesus was dead, one of the soldiers, whose name was Longinus, opened
His side with a spear as had been predicted by the prophets. Jesus permitted his
most sacred Heart to be opened
1. To atone for those sins which come forth from the
hearts of men, as Christ Himself says, “For from the heart come forth evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies”
(Matt. xv. 19).
2. To show the infinite love with which He first
loved us, and to which the spear should point us.
3. To show that there was nothing so dear to Him
that He would not give it to us, since, for our salvation, He shed the last
drop of His heart’s blood.
4. To provide, as it were, an abode in His opened
side, according to the words of St. Augustine: The Evangelist is very cautious
in his language; for he said, not the soldier pierced or wounded His side, but
he opened it, that thereby there might be opened to us the door from which flow
into the Church those holy sacraments without which we cannot enter into true
life.
When temptation assails us,
or sorrow depresses us, let us flee to this abode, and dwell therein until the
storm has passed away; according to the words of the Prophet, “Enter thou into
the rock, and hide thee in the pit” (Isaias ii. 10). For what is the rock but
Christ, and the pit, but His wound?
An Offering to
the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Whoever says the following
prayer before the image of the most sacred Heart of Jesus, with sincere sorrow
for his sins, gains each time an indulgence of one hundred days; and by saying
it daily for a month, he can on any one day gain a plenary indulgence, if he
makes his confession, receives communion, and prays according to the intention
of the Church:
“My loving
Jesus, I (N.N.) give Thee my heart; and I consecrate myself wholly to Thee, out
of the grateful love I bear Thee, and as a reparation for all my
unfaithfulness; and with Thy aid I purpose never to sin again.”
A Mass of the Sacred Heart won papal
approval for use in Poland and Portugal in 1765, and another was approved for
Venice, Austria and Spain in 1788. Finally, in 1856, Pope
Pius IX established the Feast of the Sacred Heart as obligatory for the
whole Church, to be celebrated on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi. In June 1889, Leo
XIII raised the feast to the dignity of the first class. In 1928, Pope
Pius XI raised the feast to the highest rank, Double of the First
Class, and added an octave; the 1955 reforms of the general Roman calendar
suppressed this octave and removed most other octaves.
The
Sacred Heart is King of individuals, of families and of the human race. The
Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the family is the recognition of the Sacred
Heart as King of the Family. He is King of the family by divine appointment,
conquest and excellence, but He desires to be such by our own personal choice.
The Enthronement is more than a mere blessing of a Sacred Heart picture or the
mere dedication of a family to the Divine Heart; it is a way of life; a
covenant of love with our God. It is the recognition of the Royal Power of
Jesus Christ over the family which pledges to live in union with the Sacred
Heart by love, grace and obedience to His Commandments. In this way the
Enthronement brings
countless graces
and blessings on the family, sanctifies it and through the family, society.
DIRECTIONS
Who Is Its Apostle? Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey, SS.CC., a South American priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Upon his instantaneous cure at Paray-le-Monial, he was inspired by God to preach everywhere the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart to verify this promise of the Saviour: "I will bless every dwelling where an image of My Heart is both exposed and honoured."
Where Is the Enthronement to Take Place?
It is intended for homes, schools, convents, institutions, parishes, dioceses, cities, states and nations. We especially invite newly weds as well as established families to place their homes in the Heart of Christ in this manner, thereby assuring themselves of special graces in their everyday problems and difficulties.
On Whose Approval?
It began with an oral command from Pope Pius X (St. Pius X) in 1907. In 1915, Pope Benedict the XV wrote a letter of approval. All subsequent popes have supported the need for honouring the Heart of Jesus.
Why Is It So Vital?
It stabilizes the family, the foundation of the Church and state; whoever rules the family rules society. It sanctifies the family, creates in the home the Catholic atmosphere and a spirit of piety, fosters vocations to the higher life, brings back wayward members, helps and consoles the members of families in times of trial or mourning. In short, it makes the home thoroughly Christian.
How Is It Carried Out?
The family makes arrangements with a priest, a qualified lay promoter of the Enthronment Apostolate or engages in self study from instruction materials to get prepared for the Enthronement. If possible, Holy Mass is offered that day in the parish or in the home as an act of love and reparation. The family is encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in preparation for Mass and Communion. Preparation may also include the daily Rosary, a Litany of the Sacred Heart and reflection on Scriptures. A statue or picture of the Sacred Heart is procured and a place of honour or "throne" is prepared in the home representing an altar in the home. There should be room for a Crucifix, candles, flowers and the Bible.
The steps in the ceremony are:
- The Blessing
of the home (optional)
- The Blessing
of the Sacred Heart image (this could be done ahead of time if no priest
can be present)
- The placement
of the image of the Sacred Heart and the Bible in the place of honour
- The
recitation of the Apostles Creed
- An
explanation of the Enthronement
- The Act of
Consecration to the Sacred Heart, a prayer of Thanksgiving and an Act of
Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the family,
- The signing
of the covenant certificate by the family.
When
Should the Enthronement Take Place?
Immediately, because
family life needs the help of the Sacred Heart during these times of assault
upon Christian values and Catholic doctrine. Zealous efforts to establish the
Social Reign of the King of Love will merit superabundant blessings on the
undertakings of all involved, will make priests' ministry most fruitful in the
salvation of souls and all promoters will have their names inscribed indelibly
and forever in the Heart of Jesus. Where Can We Order Materials?
The National Enthronement Center, Box 111, Fairhaven, MA 02719. Tel. (508) 999-2680. Ask for an Enthronement kit.
In the apparitions to St. Margaret Mary
Alacoque, Jesus gives these twelve promises for those who are devoted to His
Sacred Heart.
The Twelve Promises of Jesus to Saint
Margaret Mary for those devoted to His Sacred Heart:
- 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.
"Look at this Heart which has loved
men so much, and yet men do not want to love Me in return. Through you My
divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth."
Here is a message to all priests for this important day: The Priesthood Is the Love of the Heart of Jesus and the Prayers for Priests, both for priests to say for themselves, and for lay people to say for priests.
Daily Devotions
·
Novena
to Sacred Heart Day 9
[2]Goffine’s
Devout Instructions, 1896
[3]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_the_Sacred_Heart
[4]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1097
[5]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=875
[6]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-06-28
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