Sacred Heart

Fr Paul Lelen Haokip *

An embroidery of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Saint Nicholas' Church, Ghent, Belgium.
Nederlands: Goudborduurwerk H. van Severen, Sint-Niklaas Ca.1900
Pix - wikipedia/Carolus

INTRODUCTION:

One may find weird to see the Sacred Heart of Jesus outside his body. Hold on, read on for further enlightenment. Of course, it is usual and accepted to express love as 'I love you with my whole heart'; 'my heart is all for thee my love'; 'my heart beats for you'; 'I wanna hold you close to my heart' etc. You may have better ways of expressing love. Great! The focus of all these expressions seem to be the 'heart'. I think, it's not irrelevant to talk about the heart of God-man called Jesus. We don't hear people say, 'I love you with my whole brain or my entire bones'. Perhaps we may soon hear 'I love you with my bank balance'.

FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART:

The Feast of the Sacred Heart has been in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar since 1856, and is celebrated 19 days after Pentecost. As Pentecost is always celebrated on Sunday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart always falls on a Friday. Historically the devotion to the Sacred Heart is an outgrowth of devotion to Christ's sacred humanity. The revival of religious life and the zealous activity of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux and Saint Francis of Assisi in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, together with the enthusiasm of the Crusaders returning from the Holy Land, gave a rise to devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ and particularly to practices in honour of the Sacred Wounds.

DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART:

This piety developed out of the devotion to the Holy Wounds, in particular to the Sacred Wound in the side of Jesus. It is in the eleventh and twelfth centuries that the first indications of devotion to the Sacred Heart are found. It was in the fervent atmosphere of the Benedictine or Cistercian monasteries, in the world of Bernardine thought, that the devotion arose. Saint Bernard (d.1153) explained that the piercing of Christ's side reveals his goodness and the charity of his heart for us. The earliest known hymn to the Sacred Heart, "Summi Regis Cor Aveto" is believed to have been written by the Norbertine, Blessed Herman Joseph (d.1241) of Cologne, Germany. This hymn begins: "I hail Thee kingly Heart most high."

The most significant source for the devotion to the Sacred Heart in the form it is known today was Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647–1690), a nun from the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, who claimed to have received apparitions of Jesus Christ, the first on 27 December 1673, and the final one 18 months later. The apparitions revealed to her the form of the devotion, the chief features being reception of Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month, Eucharistic adoration during a "Holy hour" on Thursdays, and the celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart. She stated that in her vision she was instructed to spend an hour every Thursday night to meditate on Jesus' Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Saint Margaret Mary wanted the promises to be published in the full. Authentic texts as found in the writings of Saint Margaret Mary.

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I will give peace in their families.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.
5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.
9. I will bless those places wherein the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.
10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names eternally written in my Heart.
12. In the excess of the mercy of my Heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my Heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.

The last promise has given rise to the pious Roman Catholic practice of making an effort to attend Mass and receive Communion on the first Friday of each month. Great efficacy of converting people has been attached to the use of the image of the Sacred Heart.

SCAPULAR OF THE SACRED HEART:

The devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus also involve the Scapular of the Sacred Heart. It is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular that can be traced back to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque who herself made and distributed badges similar to it. In 1872 Pope Pius IX granted an indulgence for the badge and the actual scapular was approved by the Congregation of Rites in 1900. It bears the representation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on one side, and that of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Mother of Mercy on the other side.

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.

CONCLUSION:

Just as experiments are conducted for surety and confirmation, there is nothing like trying out this devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. If the heart is the seed of love, the same seed can grow better in the garden of love-incarnate (Jesus). What could you best offer your love other than the whole of your heart?