Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
“Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love. Therefore, I ask of you that the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi be set apart for a special feast to honor My Heart by communicating on that day and making reparation to It by a solemn act.” - Our Lord Jesus Christ, 1675
Today, the Church celebrates the beloved Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 1856, at the request of all the Bishops of France, Blessed Pope Pius IX decreed it obligatory for the celebration of today's feast by the Universal Church. Seventy-two years later, Pope Pius XI raised the rank of the feast to Double of the First Class. He also ordered that a solemn Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus be prayed annually on this feast day. By reciting this special prayer on today's feast (below), the faithful may obtain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions.
Holy Mother Church encourages Her children to have strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In these times of religious indifference, when fervor and charity have grown cold, Christ exhibits to the world His Sacred Heart as the image of God's infinite love for mankind. This Divine Heart is a furnace with burning rays of Love, ready to re-animate faith and enkindle His Divine fire in hearts so selfishly filled with apathy and ingratitude.
This is the same Divine Love burning from the Sacred Heart whereby our Redeemer created His Holy Church. The Abbot Prosper Guéranger, O.S.B. further explains this great mystery of the Church's conception, teaching how the Liturgy for today's feast relates entirely to the cruel opening of Christ’s side on the Cross:
"Let us imitate our Mother the Church, who hears these mysterious words with such profound attention. This Gospel tells us of the beautiful path by which She was created: She was conceived in the pierced Heart of the God-Man. She could not have had any other beginning than this; for She is the work, par excellence, of His love; and it is for this, His Bride, that He has accomplished all His other works. Eve was taken from Adam’s side, in figure of a future mystery; but, for the very reason of its being a type and a prediction, no trace was to be left of the fact itself. But in the mysterious fulfillment of the figure, that is in Jesus' side being opened that His Bride may come forth, the trace was to remain forever. As often as She looks upon this wound, She is reminded of Her glorious origin; and that open side is like a ceaseless reminder that She has but to go to that Sacred Heart, and there She will find everything She needs for Her children."
Today, the Church celebrates the beloved Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 1856, at the request of all the Bishops of France, Blessed Pope Pius IX decreed it obligatory for the celebration of today's feast by the Universal Church. Seventy-two years later, Pope Pius XI raised the rank of the feast to Double of the First Class. He also ordered that a solemn Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus be prayed annually on this feast day. By reciting this special prayer on today's feast (below), the faithful may obtain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions.
Holy Mother Church encourages Her children to have strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In these times of religious indifference, when fervor and charity have grown cold, Christ exhibits to the world His Sacred Heart as the image of God's infinite love for mankind. This Divine Heart is a furnace with burning rays of Love, ready to re-animate faith and enkindle His Divine fire in hearts so selfishly filled with apathy and ingratitude.
This is the same Divine Love burning from the Sacred Heart whereby our Redeemer created His Holy Church. The Abbot Prosper Guéranger, O.S.B. further explains this great mystery of the Church's conception, teaching how the Liturgy for today's feast relates entirely to the cruel opening of Christ’s side on the Cross:
"Let us imitate our Mother the Church, who hears these mysterious words with such profound attention. This Gospel tells us of the beautiful path by which She was created: She was conceived in the pierced Heart of the God-Man. She could not have had any other beginning than this; for She is the work, par excellence, of His love; and it is for this, His Bride, that He has accomplished all His other works. Eve was taken from Adam’s side, in figure of a future mystery; but, for the very reason of its being a type and a prediction, no trace was to be left of the fact itself. But in the mysterious fulfillment of the figure, that is in Jesus' side being opened that His Bride may come forth, the trace was to remain forever. As often as She looks upon this wound, She is reminded of Her glorious origin; and that open side is like a ceaseless reminder that She has but to go to that Sacred Heart, and there She will find everything She needs for Her children."
Reflections on the Sacred Heart
Our Lord suffered so much, in order to show how much He loves us, and how greatly God is offended by sin. A single word of Christ would have fully sufficed to redeem us, but it was not enough to make manifest the love of God. It is because of the great love Christ displays towards us, that we venerate the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The heart is the center of the physical life; from it the blood flows into every part of the body, maintaining its vitality. And since there is an intimate connection between body and soul, the heart is spoken of as the center of the spiritual life, whence all the thoughts and feelings take their rise. Hence, we say: "My heart rejoiced, my heart is grieved, etc." The heart is regarded pre-eminently as the seat of love.
When we venerate the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we call to mind His exceeding great love for us, and we are stimulated to return love for love. God made use of a French nun at Paray-le-Monial, named Margaret Mary Alacoque, to propagate this devotion. Our Lord appeared to her repeatedly, showing her His Heart pierced by the lance, emitting flames of fire, surrounded by a crown of thorns - to signify the pain sinners cause to Our Savior - and surmounted by a shining cross. Our Lord intimated His desire that images of His Heart should be exposed for veneration, and promised signal blessings to all who should practice reparation.
He also commanded the Festival of the Sacred Heart to be kept on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi. This day is a most appropriate one, for it was on a Friday that Our Lord by His death gave the greatest possible proof of His love, and His Heart was pierced by the lance. Moreover, the Adorable Sacrament of the Altar affords abundant testimony to the love of the Savior, for as the sun's rays are focused in a lens, so the rays of the sun of Divine Love are concentrated in the Sacrament of the Altar. Hence the feast of Corpus Christi is a special memorial of the love of Christ for man.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart, opposed at the outset, as are all works that are of God, spread rapidly; beginning as a small ember in France and then set to a blazing fire over all the earth; from the beginning, it was attended by many great graces and signal blessings.
Our Lord suffered so much, in order to show how much He loves us, and how greatly God is offended by sin. A single word of Christ would have fully sufficed to redeem us, but it was not enough to make manifest the love of God. It is because of the great love Christ displays towards us, that we venerate the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The heart is the center of the physical life; from it the blood flows into every part of the body, maintaining its vitality. And since there is an intimate connection between body and soul, the heart is spoken of as the center of the spiritual life, whence all the thoughts and feelings take their rise. Hence, we say: "My heart rejoiced, my heart is grieved, etc." The heart is regarded pre-eminently as the seat of love.
When we venerate the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we call to mind His exceeding great love for us, and we are stimulated to return love for love. God made use of a French nun at Paray-le-Monial, named Margaret Mary Alacoque, to propagate this devotion. Our Lord appeared to her repeatedly, showing her His Heart pierced by the lance, emitting flames of fire, surrounded by a crown of thorns - to signify the pain sinners cause to Our Savior - and surmounted by a shining cross. Our Lord intimated His desire that images of His Heart should be exposed for veneration, and promised signal blessings to all who should practice reparation.
He also commanded the Festival of the Sacred Heart to be kept on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi. This day is a most appropriate one, for it was on a Friday that Our Lord by His death gave the greatest possible proof of His love, and His Heart was pierced by the lance. Moreover, the Adorable Sacrament of the Altar affords abundant testimony to the love of the Savior, for as the sun's rays are focused in a lens, so the rays of the sun of Divine Love are concentrated in the Sacrament of the Altar. Hence the feast of Corpus Christi is a special memorial of the love of Christ for man.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart, opposed at the outset, as are all works that are of God, spread rapidly; beginning as a small ember in France and then set to a blazing fire over all the earth; from the beginning, it was attended by many great graces and signal blessings.
Act of Reparation
For the Feast of the Sacred Heart
O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thy altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.
Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their Baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy law.
We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee; we are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violation of Sundays and holidays and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy Saints.
We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Thy Divine love; and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and the teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.
Would, O Divine Jesus, we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy Divine honor, the satisfaction Thou didst once make to Thy eternal Father on the Cross and which Thou dost continue to renew daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make reparation, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past.
Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.
O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may all one day come to that happy home, where Thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen.
For the Feast of the Sacred Heart
O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thy altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.
Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their Baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy law.
We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee; we are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violation of Sundays and holidays and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy Saints.
We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Thy Divine love; and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and the teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.
Would, O Divine Jesus, we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy Divine honor, the satisfaction Thou didst once make to Thy eternal Father on the Cross and which Thou dost continue to renew daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make reparation, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past.
Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.
O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may all one day come to that happy home, where Thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen.
The Promises
As Revealed by the Sacred Heart to Saint Margret Mary for Souls Who Practice Reparation
God has always dealt with men in a way consonant with their nature - by drawing them to His Holy Will by promises of reward. It was so with His dealings with the chosen people under the Old Dispensation. It was the way of Christ in the New, promising even a hundredfold return for compliance with His desires. And so it is in the history of the revelation and propagation of the devotion to the Sacred Heart.
"That men might more readily respond to that wonderful and overflowing desire of love," wrote Leo XIII in his Encyclical, Annum Sacrum (1899) on the devotion, "Jesus, by the promise of rich rewards, called and drew all men to Him." Saint Margaret Mary in her writings insists again and again on the ardent desire of Christ to pour out blessings with a royal generosity on those who would honor His Divine Heart and return Him love for love.
These Promises of the Sacred Heart, in the form in which they are now popularly known and approved by the Church, far surpass in variety, universality and importance those attached to any other exercises of devotion in the Church.
They are addressed to all sorts of persons: to the fervent, the tepid, and the sinful. They embrace every condition of life: priests, religious, and laity. They promise relief to the afflicted, strength to the tempted, consolation to the sorrowful, peace to the family, blessings in the home, success in our enterprises, mercy to the sinner, high sanctity to fervent souls, courage to the cold of heart. They promise power to the priest to soften the hardest hearts. They promise strength and courage on our deathbed and tell us of the priceless gift of final perseverance and of a refuge in the Heart of Christ at our last moment.
What greater or more valuable favors than these could even the omnipotent and boundless love and goodness of the Sacred Heart bestow on us? These Promises help us to an understanding of the truth of St. Margaret Mary's glowing words: "Jesus showed me how this devotion is, as it were, the final effort of His love, the last invention of His boundless Charity."
1st Promise:
"I will give to My faithful all the graces necessary in their state of life."
The duties of our daily life are numerous and often difficult. God grants us in response to prayer and frequent reception of the Sacraments all the necessary graces for our state of life. There are also extraordinary graces which lie outside the usual action of God's Providence, graces that He gives to His special friends. These are more efficacious graces, more plentifully given to the clients of the Sacred Heart.
2nd Promise:
"I will establish peace in their homes."
"'Peace is the tranquility of order, the serenity of mind, simplicity of heart, the bond of charity." (St. Augustine) It was the first thing the Angels wished to men at the birth of Jesus. Our Lord Himself bade His disciples to invoke it: "Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house!' " (Luke 10, 5) In the Heart of Jesus will be found the true peace, that makes the home the reflex and anticipation of our heavenly Home.
3rd Promise:
"I will comfort them in all their afflictions."
The desire to comfort the sorrowful is the mark of a noble and kind heart. The Sacred Heart is the most noble and generous of hearts, both human and divine. How does He console us? Not necessarily by freeing us from sorrow and affliction. He knows the priceless value of the cross--that we have sins to expiate. By His grace, He makes what is painful tolerable. "I am filled with comfort; I overflow with joy in all our troubles." (2 Cor. 7, 4)
4th Promise:
"I will be their secure refuge in life, and above all in death."
"One of the soldiers opened His side with a lance, and immediately there came out blood and water." (John 19, 34) Christ's side was opened to show that Divine Providence wished all men to find in His Divine Heart an assured refuge against the enemies of our salvation. In His Heart we can find protection, strength in our frailty, perseverance in our inconstancy, assured refuge in the dangers and toils of life, and at the hour of death.
5th Promise:
"I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings."
"God is love." He is ready to give His children abundant temporal blessings as long as they do not imperil our eternal interests. His "special" Providence protects and watches over those devoted to the Sacred Heart with peculiar love and tenderness. However, we should not be discouraged if our prayers for temporal favors are not always answered, for God always puts our eternal good before our temporal good.
6th Promise:
"Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."
The Redemption is the immortal drama of God's mercy; and our Divine Redeemer is, as it were, God's Mercy Incarnate. "With the Lord is kindness and with Him plenteous Redemption." (Ps. 129, 7) On earth the Heart of Christ was full of mercy toward all. Now in His glorified humanity in heaven Jesus continues to show forth His boundless mercy, "always living to make intercession for us." (Heb. 7,25)
7th Promise:
"Tepid souls shall become fervent."
Lukewarmness is a languid dying state of the soul that has lost its interest in religion. The Holy Spirit expresses deep disgust for such a soul: "You are neither cold nor hot ... I am about to vomit you out of My mouth." (Apoc. 3, 15) The only remedy for it is devotion to the Sacred Heart, Who came "to cast fire on earth," i.e., to inspire the cold and tepid heart with new fear and love of God.
8th Promise:
“Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
High perfection is the reward that Christ bestows on the fervent clients of His Divine Heart; for this devotion has, as its special fruit, to transform us into a close resemblance to our Blessed Lord. This is done by kindling in our hearts the fire of divine love, which, as St. Paul says, "is the bond of perfection." (Col. 3, 14) Through devotion to the Sacred Heart self-love will give way to an ardent zeal for His interests.
9th Promise:
"I will bless every place in which an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored."
Religious pictures are a powerful appeal and inspiration. The Sacred Heart is an open book wherein we may read the infinite love of Jesus for us in His Passion and Death. He shows us His Heart, cut open by the lance, all aglow like a fiery furnace of love, whose flames appear bursting forth from the top. It is encircled with thorns, the anguishing smarts of unheeded love. May it ever impel us to acts of love and generosity.
10th Promise:
"I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
The conversion of a sinner calls sometimes for extraordinary graces. God never forces the free will of a human being. But He can give actual graces with which He foresees the sinner will overcome the resisting attitude of the most obstinate sinful soul. This, then, is what occurs in the case of priests who are animated with great devotion to the Sacred Heart.
11th Promise:
"Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced."
This Promise holds out to promoters of devotion to the Sacred Heart a wonderful reward--they "shall have their names written in My Heart." These words imply a strong and faithful friendship of Christ Himself, and present to us "the Book of Life" of St. John: "I will not blot his name out of the book of life." (Apoc. 3, 5)
12th Promise:
"To those who shall communicate on the First Friday, for nine consecutive months, I will grant the grace of final penitence."
This Promise contains a great reward, which is nothing less than heaven. "Final perseverance is a gratuitous gift of God's goodness and cannot be merited as an acquired right by any individual act of ours." (Council of Trent) It is given as the reward for a series of acts continued to the end: "He who has persevered to the end will be saved." (Matt. 10, 22)
- Rev. Fr. Irenaeus Schoenherr, O.F.M.
As Revealed by the Sacred Heart to Saint Margret Mary for Souls Who Practice Reparation
God has always dealt with men in a way consonant with their nature - by drawing them to His Holy Will by promises of reward. It was so with His dealings with the chosen people under the Old Dispensation. It was the way of Christ in the New, promising even a hundredfold return for compliance with His desires. And so it is in the history of the revelation and propagation of the devotion to the Sacred Heart.
"That men might more readily respond to that wonderful and overflowing desire of love," wrote Leo XIII in his Encyclical, Annum Sacrum (1899) on the devotion, "Jesus, by the promise of rich rewards, called and drew all men to Him." Saint Margaret Mary in her writings insists again and again on the ardent desire of Christ to pour out blessings with a royal generosity on those who would honor His Divine Heart and return Him love for love.
These Promises of the Sacred Heart, in the form in which they are now popularly known and approved by the Church, far surpass in variety, universality and importance those attached to any other exercises of devotion in the Church.
They are addressed to all sorts of persons: to the fervent, the tepid, and the sinful. They embrace every condition of life: priests, religious, and laity. They promise relief to the afflicted, strength to the tempted, consolation to the sorrowful, peace to the family, blessings in the home, success in our enterprises, mercy to the sinner, high sanctity to fervent souls, courage to the cold of heart. They promise power to the priest to soften the hardest hearts. They promise strength and courage on our deathbed and tell us of the priceless gift of final perseverance and of a refuge in the Heart of Christ at our last moment.
What greater or more valuable favors than these could even the omnipotent and boundless love and goodness of the Sacred Heart bestow on us? These Promises help us to an understanding of the truth of St. Margaret Mary's glowing words: "Jesus showed me how this devotion is, as it were, the final effort of His love, the last invention of His boundless Charity."
1st Promise:
"I will give to My faithful all the graces necessary in their state of life."
The duties of our daily life are numerous and often difficult. God grants us in response to prayer and frequent reception of the Sacraments all the necessary graces for our state of life. There are also extraordinary graces which lie outside the usual action of God's Providence, graces that He gives to His special friends. These are more efficacious graces, more plentifully given to the clients of the Sacred Heart.
2nd Promise:
"I will establish peace in their homes."
"'Peace is the tranquility of order, the serenity of mind, simplicity of heart, the bond of charity." (St. Augustine) It was the first thing the Angels wished to men at the birth of Jesus. Our Lord Himself bade His disciples to invoke it: "Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house!' " (Luke 10, 5) In the Heart of Jesus will be found the true peace, that makes the home the reflex and anticipation of our heavenly Home.
3rd Promise:
"I will comfort them in all their afflictions."
The desire to comfort the sorrowful is the mark of a noble and kind heart. The Sacred Heart is the most noble and generous of hearts, both human and divine. How does He console us? Not necessarily by freeing us from sorrow and affliction. He knows the priceless value of the cross--that we have sins to expiate. By His grace, He makes what is painful tolerable. "I am filled with comfort; I overflow with joy in all our troubles." (2 Cor. 7, 4)
4th Promise:
"I will be their secure refuge in life, and above all in death."
"One of the soldiers opened His side with a lance, and immediately there came out blood and water." (John 19, 34) Christ's side was opened to show that Divine Providence wished all men to find in His Divine Heart an assured refuge against the enemies of our salvation. In His Heart we can find protection, strength in our frailty, perseverance in our inconstancy, assured refuge in the dangers and toils of life, and at the hour of death.
5th Promise:
"I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings."
"God is love." He is ready to give His children abundant temporal blessings as long as they do not imperil our eternal interests. His "special" Providence protects and watches over those devoted to the Sacred Heart with peculiar love and tenderness. However, we should not be discouraged if our prayers for temporal favors are not always answered, for God always puts our eternal good before our temporal good.
6th Promise:
"Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."
The Redemption is the immortal drama of God's mercy; and our Divine Redeemer is, as it were, God's Mercy Incarnate. "With the Lord is kindness and with Him plenteous Redemption." (Ps. 129, 7) On earth the Heart of Christ was full of mercy toward all. Now in His glorified humanity in heaven Jesus continues to show forth His boundless mercy, "always living to make intercession for us." (Heb. 7,25)
7th Promise:
"Tepid souls shall become fervent."
Lukewarmness is a languid dying state of the soul that has lost its interest in religion. The Holy Spirit expresses deep disgust for such a soul: "You are neither cold nor hot ... I am about to vomit you out of My mouth." (Apoc. 3, 15) The only remedy for it is devotion to the Sacred Heart, Who came "to cast fire on earth," i.e., to inspire the cold and tepid heart with new fear and love of God.
8th Promise:
“Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
High perfection is the reward that Christ bestows on the fervent clients of His Divine Heart; for this devotion has, as its special fruit, to transform us into a close resemblance to our Blessed Lord. This is done by kindling in our hearts the fire of divine love, which, as St. Paul says, "is the bond of perfection." (Col. 3, 14) Through devotion to the Sacred Heart self-love will give way to an ardent zeal for His interests.
9th Promise:
"I will bless every place in which an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored."
Religious pictures are a powerful appeal and inspiration. The Sacred Heart is an open book wherein we may read the infinite love of Jesus for us in His Passion and Death. He shows us His Heart, cut open by the lance, all aglow like a fiery furnace of love, whose flames appear bursting forth from the top. It is encircled with thorns, the anguishing smarts of unheeded love. May it ever impel us to acts of love and generosity.
10th Promise:
"I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
The conversion of a sinner calls sometimes for extraordinary graces. God never forces the free will of a human being. But He can give actual graces with which He foresees the sinner will overcome the resisting attitude of the most obstinate sinful soul. This, then, is what occurs in the case of priests who are animated with great devotion to the Sacred Heart.
11th Promise:
"Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced."
This Promise holds out to promoters of devotion to the Sacred Heart a wonderful reward--they "shall have their names written in My Heart." These words imply a strong and faithful friendship of Christ Himself, and present to us "the Book of Life" of St. John: "I will not blot his name out of the book of life." (Apoc. 3, 5)
12th Promise:
"To those who shall communicate on the First Friday, for nine consecutive months, I will grant the grace of final penitence."
This Promise contains a great reward, which is nothing less than heaven. "Final perseverance is a gratuitous gift of God's goodness and cannot be merited as an acquired right by any individual act of ours." (Council of Trent) It is given as the reward for a series of acts continued to the end: "He who has persevered to the end will be saved." (Matt. 10, 22)
- Rev. Fr. Irenaeus Schoenherr, O.F.M.
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Permalink Reply by Gloria
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† Blessed and exalted be the Precious Blood of Jesus and the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with love and reparation. Fiat ! Hail Mary . Amen. †
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Permalink Reply by Susan Grace
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Amen
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