Notes on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Today Roman Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a feast day that draws our attention to the love of God for humanity that has been made manifest in the person of Christ. Though evidence of devotion to the heart of Jesus can be found in the writings of some medieval mystics, the modern form of the devotion comes from the visions of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitandine nun who lived late in the 17th century. Though some of her sisters questioned the authenticity of her spiritual experiences, St. Margaret Mary enjoyed the support of her Jesuit spiritual director, St. Claude La Colombière. Since that time, Jesuits have played an important role in promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, notably through the work of the Apostleship of Prayer.

On this Feast of the Sacred Heart, I'd like to share with you the following prayer by St. Claude La Colombière; though I've shared these words before, I believe they're worth posting again because they convey the meaning of today's feast exceptionally well:

O God, what will you do to conquer
The fearful hardness of our hearts?
Lord, you must give us new hearts,
Tender hearts, sensitive hearts,
To replace hearts that are made of marble and of bronze.

You must give us your own Heart, Jesus.
Come, lovable Heart of Jesus.
Place your Heart deep in the center of our hearts
And enkindle in each heart a flame of love
As strong, as great, as the sum of all the reasons
That I have for loving you, my God.

O holy Heart of Jesus, dwell hidden in my heart,
So that I may live only in you and for you,
So that, in the end, I may live eternally with you in heaven.

Amen.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like yours. AMDG.