Sacred Heart

Today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart!  When Our Lord appeared to St Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1675, he asked that this feast be established on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi.  With the removal of the Octaves in 1955, the feast of the Sacred Heart randomly moves each year.  Knowing the connection with Corpus Christis gives it an added dimension.  Having prayed and meditated on the great gift of the Most Blessed Sacrament for a whole week, we now turn to the Love and Mercy of Christ flowing out from this Sacrament and seek to make reparation to Him for the many sins and abuses committed against Him.  

This devotion spread quickly, especially in religious communities, but the Mass and Office were not approved until 1765!  In 1856, Pope Pius IX extended this feast to the Latin Church.  Later on, it was raised to the highest rank for feast days and given an Octave.  It is an Octave of the 3rd Class, which means that feasts outrank it, but it would be commemorated each day.  If a feria day, then the Sacred Heart would be offered again.  The Octave day only gives way to feasts of the 1st or 2nd Class.   

 While this is a fairly "new" feast day in the life of the Church, it has quickly risen to become one of the most beloved of feasts.  The entire month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart.  So while having devotions to the Sacred Heart all month, this Octave can be eight days of more intense devotion.  In 1921, Pope Benedict XV established the feast of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus on the Thursday within the Octave.  This shows a beautiful connection between the feasts of Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart.  

Ideas for celebrating the Sacred Heart of Jesus (for the Octave and the whole month):

Have your home enthroned to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (if you haven't already done so)

Place a picture of the Sacred Heart in a prominant place in your home

Read The Liturgical Year, Vol 10 by Dom Gueranger in his daily entries for the Octave

Pray the Litany to the Sacred Heart 

Pray the Act of Reparation by Pope Pius XI

Pray the Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart by Pope Leo XIII (attached below) 

Set up a special home altar for the Sacred Heart or decorate an image with flowers, etc 

Read about the apparitions to St Margaret Mary

Make Holy Hours of Reparation to the Sacred Heart

Read through the 12 Promises of Our Lord to St Margaret Mary about Devotion to the Sacred Heart

Begin the 9 First Fridays next month

Sing hymns to the Sacred Heart

Learn to chant the Litany of the Sacred Heart

 

12 Promises of Our Lord to St. Margaret Mary 

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life.
2. I will give peace in their families.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of death.
5. I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
9. I will bless the homes in which the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.
10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who propagate this devotion shall have their name written in My Heart, and it shall never be effaced.
12. The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under My displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Heart shall be their assured refuge at the last hour.