June 15 - Day 5 of Novena preparing for Feast of the Heart of Jesus through Mary

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Feast of the Sacred Heart follows yesterday’s Solemnity of The Body and Blood of Jesus. The Catholic Church puts before us these beautiful occasions to worship Jesus through Mary, and yet we hear so little of her these days. Mary, Mother of our Faith, and Mother of the Church like her Son Jesus, is marginalized both outside and inside the Church today.

The Meek and Humble Heart of Jesus and His dear Mother who stood beneath His Cross on Calvary have suffered for us but receive from many today so very little – if anything – in return. Jesus, appearing to St. Margaret Mary, in 1673, said:

…I feel this more than all that I suffered during My Passion. If only they would make Me some return for My Love, I should think but little of all I have done for them and would wish, were it possible, to suffer still more. But the sole return they make for all My eagerness to do them good is to reject Me and treat Me with coldness. Do you at least console Me by supplying for their ingratitude, as far as you are able.

Later He said to her:

**Behold the Heart that has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify to Its love; and in return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love…

In 1925 Sister Lucia of Fatima received an apparition of Jesus as a child with Mary:

The Blessed Virgin put one hand on Lucia’s shoulder, while her other hand sustained her Immaculate Heart that was surrounded with thorns. The Child Jesus said: “Have compassion on the Heart of your Blessed Mother. It is surrounded with thorns that ungrateful men pierce each moment, and there is no one that is willing to offer an act of reparation to take the thorns away.”

We are halfway in our Novena of 9 Days and I hope you will continue or begin to pray the prayer below, especially in a spirit of repentence and Reparation to the Hearts of Jesus through Mary. In praying this Novena with and through Mary we honor both hearts with our love.

Novena Prayer:

O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, You said: “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find; knock and and it shall be opened for you” With confidence in Your loving, compassionate Heart, I come to You as the Fountain of every Blessing. I ask You to make my heart humble and holy like Yours.

Grant me to live a holy life and to die a happy death. During this Novena, I humbly ask for certain spiritual and temporal favors: (insert your petitions here).

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray with us and for us.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your Faithful. Kindle in us, the Fire of Your Love.
Mass Readings for today at: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/061520.cfm

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Stephie,

So sorry, I don’t know how I missed your “heart” – but I discovered it only today so I’m sending a “Belated thank you”!!!

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Sacred Heart, and I was just thinking how as a child in Cathlic Grade School, we used to have altars during June dedicated to the Sacred Heart, even as we had Mary altars for Mary in our classrooms. How grateful I am to have been taught so early in my life that special union of those Two Hearts!

I remember my Mom had a great devotion to both Jesus and Mary so I also learned much from her and others in my family. I thnk I mentioned before that I remember going to First Friday Masses early in the morning with my cousin who lived with us. She also became my Confirmation sponsor so I had many blessings from my family as well as from School.

Tomorrow I hope many will be mindful of this .special Feast of the Sacred Heart and especially Jesus’ asking for Reparation in particular. These days of conflict in so many parts of the world, must wound the Hearts of Jesus and Mary so much! By God’s Grace. let us do whatever we do tomorrow with even greater love than we have given Jesus thus far - in reparation for our sins and the sins of the whole world! Thanks again for your ever-Faith -Full and loving “heart” given on each thread!