2 Priests dedicated to Jesus’ heart died day after Valentine’s

Often God's divine providence is not seen until years after the fact. This frequently happens when saints die on a specific day, which later becomes a feast filled with symbolism.

One example of God's providential "coincidence" is how two priests who were dedicated to spreading the good news of Jesus' merciful heart died on the same day, immediately following St. Valentine's Day, a day when hearts are everywhere in the Western world.

While most Catholics are familiar with St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and the Sacred Heart devotion, few remember the only reason why her visions were communicated to the world: the efforts of her spiritual director, St. Claude de la Colombiere.

It was to St. Claude that St. Margaret revealed her visions of Jesus. St. Claude believed her when many did not and he became an apostle of the Sacred Heart devotion.

He died on February 15, 1682, and was canonized by St. John Paul II in 1992.

In an almost identical situation, St. Faustina was having visions of Jesus, in which he pointed to his heart, from which rays shone out, symbolizing the graces to be received. She confided these visions to her spiritual director, Bl. Michael Sopocko.

Thanks to Bl. Michael, the Divine Mercy devotion began to spread and was shared throughout the world. This devotion was never seen in competition to the Sacred Heart devotion, but a further development of it.

Bl. Michael died on February 15, 1975, and was beatified in 2008.

Both priests were spiritual directors to women who saw Jesus' most Sacred Heart and they died at a time of the year when the secular world is thinking about love and putting hearts on every poster board.

It should remind us of the true source of love: Jesus' heart.