The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, connected closely to the visions of St Mary Margaret Alacoque (1647-1690), is a celebration of the mystery of divine love which God has shown us in sending his Son into the world for our Redemption (John 3:16). This divine love, embodied in the Sacred Heart of the Redeemer as he offers himself on the cross and who now shares with us his Divine life in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, invites us to a spirit of reparation for our offences against that holy love. The beautiful statue and altar of the Sacred Heart in our own church is a focus of our devotion, speaking to us of that Lord who “is gentle and lowly in heart” in whom we “will find rest for our souls.” (Matthew 11:29). The canonical precept of Friday abstinence is suspended on this feast (Code of Canon Law 1251). There are additional Masses on Friday at 13:10 (Extraordinary Form, Latin) and at 17:30 (solemn, sung), at which time the public act of reparation traditional on this day will be observed.
“O most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus, Thou art concealed in the Holy Eucharist, and Thou beatest for us still. Now as then Thou savest, Desiderio desideravi—”With desire I have desired.” I worship Thee then with all my best love and awe, with my fervent affection, with my most subdued, most resolved will. O my God, when Thou dost condescend to suffer me to receive Thee, to eat and drink Thee, and Thou for a while takest up Thy abode within me, O make my heart beat with Thy Heart. Purify it of all that is earthly, all that is proud and sensual, all that is hard and cruel, of all perversity, of all disorder, of all deadness. So fill it with Thee, that neither the events of the day nor the circumstances of the time may have power to ruffle it, but that in Thy love and Thy fear it may have peace.”
St John Henry Newman, Meditations and Devotions, “The Sacred Heart”.
On Saturday 13th we commemorate the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a Mother’s heart united in perfect charity to the Heart of her Son and our Redeemer.
(Image: Sacred Heart of Jesus, mosaic, portal to the Church of the Sacred Heart, Bernau bei Berlin, Germany)