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Many people think
that devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus started with St. John
Eudes, or St.
Mary Margaret Alacoque, or St. Claude de la Colombiere, and other
saints of the seventeenth century. While it is true that
these saints were instrumental in the spreading of the devotion to
the Sacred Heart, it is also true that its origin goes much far
back in time.
In fact, it goes
back to the time of Jesus himself! Love for the Sacred
Heart, understood as love for the person of the incarnate Son of
God, started with Mary Most Holy, his mother.
Nobody else, before her or after her, understood the depth and
greatness of Jesus' love for all mankind as Mary did.
St. Joseph,
the "silent lover," came next. No doubt, he learned to
appreciate the person of Jesus and to love him with the help and
the enlightenment he gathered from Mary. Then there came the
disciples of Jesus. All of them loved Jesus so much, each in
his/her personal unique way. Among them, four may be singled
out: the apostles John and Peter, the
penitent Mary Magdalene and Paul, the
former persecutor of the Church. |
THE TWELVE PROMISES
OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS TO HIS DEVOTEES
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I will give them all
the graces necessary in their state of life.
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I will establish peace
in their homes.
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I will comfort them in
their afflictions.
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I will be their secure
refuge during life, and above all in death.
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I will bestow abundant
blessings upon all their undertakings.
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Sinners shall find in
my Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.
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Tepid souls shall
become fervent.
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Fervent souls shall
quickly mount to high perfection.
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I will bless every
place where an image of my Heart shall be exposed and honored.
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I will give to priests
the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
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Those who promote this
devotion shall have their names written in my Heart, never to be
effaced.
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I promise you, in the
excessive mercy of my Heart, that my all-powerful love will
grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday for nine
consecutive months, the grace of penitence. They shall not
die in my disgrace or without receiving the sacraments. My
Sacred Heart shall be their safe refuge in their last moment.
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 Sr.
Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) had the first apparition of the
Sacred Heart at Paray-le-Monial, in central France, on December
27, 1673.
Two others
apparitions followed at the beginning of 1674 and on July 2 of the
same year, always while St. Margaret Mary was praying before the
Blessed Sacrament.
A fourth apparition
took place on June 16, 1675. It was during that apparition
that Jesus requested that a feast honoring the Sacred Heart be
established and held on the first Friday after Corpus Christi (in
June).
In those
apparitions, Jesus showed to Sr. Margaret Mary his heart afire
with love for all human beings, crowned with thorns (which
symbolized the sins of mankind) and pierced with the lance of
human sinfulness. "Behold the heart that has loved mankind
so much," said Jesus, "and which receives so much ingratitude in
return."
Jesus also asked Sr.
Margaret Mary to offer REPARATION for the ingratitude and the
terrible offenses with which sinners respond to his immense love. |
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Gradually, the
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread to the whole of
France. The most enthusiastic and effective promoters were
Sr. Margaret Mary Alacoque herself, the Jesuit priests Fr. Claude
de la Colombiere and Fr. Jean Croiset, who composed the Litany of
the Sacred Heart.
Eventually this
devotion spread also to other parts of Europe, most notable
Poland.
Devotion to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus has been the inspiration and spiritual
support that has led innumerable souls to the highest degree of
holiness. All saints had an extraordinary appreciation of
the love of Jesus and constantly experienced an immense desire to
imitate his virtues, and share in his sufferings for the salvation
of the world.
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