In the late 1600’s, Jesus appeared to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, a nun in France, explaining the devotion as he wished it practiced:
There are two things that must always be found together in the devotion to the Sacred Heart: Christ’s Heart of flesh and Christ’s love for us. True devotion to the Sacred Heart means devotion to the Divine Heart of Christ insofar as His Heart represents and recalls His love for us.
It may seem strange that a devotion so powerful would now be deemed “old fashioned”, but alas, it has gone the way of meatless Fridays and dressing up for church on Sunday. In today’s piece 5 Things Catholics Should Know About First Fridays, Philip Kosloski lists facts about the Sacred Heart Devotion which many people who grew up after Vatican II may have missed:
Jesus said to St. Margaret Mary, “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.” This means that if a person faithfully receives communion for nine consecutive months on First Fridays, Jesus will grant that person extra graces at the time of their death, making it possible to repent of their sins and receive the last rites (if needed).
With the next First Friday a week away we ask our readers:
And today we celebrate...