The Sacratissimo Corde Iesu, aka the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I can't believe that it's already June. Which means that the year is halfway over. It's amazing how quickly time flies. While pausing to reminisce about where I was only a year ago, I can only praise and thank God for everything. It's funny (not in a comical sense, but you know what I mean) that when we are in the midst of the situations that life throws at us, we (at least I do) wonder, "How am I ever going to get through this?". But when looking back, the way things fall into place usually ends up making sense... we just couldn't see it at the time. Nonetheless, even if things don't make sense, we should still praise and thank God, because they will make sense in His time, which is always perfect. 

Now back to the month of June. Summer is beginning and school is ending, but that's not what makes it a special month. Most importantly, June is the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It's a simple image, yet can still be profoundly meditated on.

                                                 

Cor Iesu, bonitate et amore plenum, miserere nobis

This particular devotion was spread by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, after He appeared to her, and instructed her to make known the love of His Sacred Heart. On His hands, Our Lord visibly bears the wounds that He so selflessly endured for our sake, while also revealing His great love for us. With one look, we can gather that His Sacred Heart is burning and radiating with love. When was the last time someone's heart literally burned with flames and shone light with love for you? There's no love on Earth comparable to the ever-flaming, fervent love Jesus carries for us. My own weak words are not enough to convey the depth of this Divine love. As Our Lord said Himself, "Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing."

Let's take a minute to reflect on His hand gestures. 

As Jesus holds His Sacred Heart, He is also offering it to us. 

With the other hand, He is extending it as an invitation to be drawn closer to Him. So, as He offers Himself and His Divine love to each and every one of us, will we accept it?

Notice how His Heart is also circled with a crown of thorns. They serve as a reminder that while Our Lord loves us dearly, we must remember that He also suffered immensely for our sake, and our sins still hurt Him. The way I see it is that every time we sin, we are pushing the thorns deeper into His tender heart. We should have a repugnant attitude towards sin, so as not to cause Our dear Lord any more pain. How dismal it is to think of the souls who go day by day endlessly offending Him, without repenting.

However, there is a solution to the wave of unrepentant souls, as instructed to St. Margaret Mary by Jesus. 

Adoration. But not just any adoration, the Devotion of First Friday Adoration.

Our Lord instructed St. Margaret Mary Alacoque to receive Him on the First Friday of the month and to make reparation to His Sacred Heart for the outrages and offenses committed against Him. Not only will this appease the divine anger, but it will also console Our Lord in the sorrow He felt when the Apostles could not watch with Him for an hour. (A more in-depth read on all of this can be found here, which I highly recommend to all.)

Lo and behold, this upcoming Friday, the 7th, is the First Friday of June. How Divinely Providential. If you have not practiced the First Friday Devotion, this is the perfect opportunity to begin. If you have, please continue to do so. One cannot completely fathom the joy and consolation it must bring Our Lord when those with intent of reparation, approach Him in the Sacrament of the Altar. 

Like I have said before, when practicing piety, you have nothing to lose, and all the more to gain. 

For the remainder of the month, I will continue to focus on Sacred Heart related topics, such as St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the promises of the Sacred Heart and so on. Stay tuned.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy of on us. 

Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,

-Yvonne Gemma

P.S- check out this amazing Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus