Looking for a new devotion for 2013? Consider the Sacred Heart: Jan 4, ’13

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If anyone is looking for a new devotion for 2013, devotion to the Sacred Heart may be for you. It is a devotion to Love Himself, and it is humbling and joyous to be supported by His promises (listed below). It involves going to Mass as an act of reparation to Our Lord on nine consecutive First Fridays—you could start as early as this Friday, January 4th. 🙂

For me, the aspect of the devotion I have treasured most is drawing closer to Our Lord in adoration. The graces received in adoration have been abundant—and very practical too. Listing them all would require another thread. In addition, I was also humbled to have become suddenly, seriously ill earlier in the year. I am fairly young, and it was unexpected and frightening. When it happened, I immediately recalled the 12th promise of Our Lord and prayed to Him about it. Within 30 minutes, a priest was located to give me the sacrament of the sick and communion—it was no easy thing to arrange in this large city with very busy, overworked priests, and I can only attribute the quick arrangement of the priest’s visit to grace. I am fully healthy again now.

Background
Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French nun, whom he called “the Beloved Disciple of the Sacred Heart” and the Heiress “of all Its treasures.” He asked her to make known that he makes these twelve promises to those who honor His Sacred Heart.
  1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life.
  2. I will establish peace in their families.
  3. I will comfort them in their trials.
  4. I will be their secure refuge during life, and, above all, in death.
  5. I will shed abundant blessings on all their undertakings
  6. Sinners will find in My Heart an infinite ocean of mercy.
  7. Lukewarm souls will become fervent.
  8. Fervent souls will rapidly grow in holiness and perfection.
  9. I will bless every place where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
  10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
  11. The names of those who promote this devotion will be written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.
  12. I promise thee, in the excessive mercy of My Heart, that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.
Keep in mind in the 12th Promise that our Lord asks us to receive Him in Holy Communion in a state of grace on the First Friday of each of nine consecutive months, a First Friday devotion.

Inspirational talks on the Sacred Heart: vistyr.org/category/sacred-heart-talks

For more information, see: ourcatholicprayers.com/prayers-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus.html or a small devotional book such as catholiccompany.com/devotion-to-sacred-heart-p1033623/?

Or, one of the most thorough books on the Sacred Heart is Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Father John Croiset, S.J.: catholiccompany.com/devotion-to-sacred-heart-jesus-p1003862/?
 
And God bless you too, asia53!

Thank you for sharing the links with us. I especially like the Act of Reparation on the Sacred Heart Prayers page; I haven’t seen that one before.
 
Thank you for this. I hope that many of us will participate in this very special devotion in 2013 (including me!). Happy New Year everyone! 🙂
 
The image of the sacred heart is a heart with a wound of a spear from the centurion who pierced Jesus’ heart on the cross. From this is flowing blood and water which he shed for us. In addition the heart if surrounded with thorns with which he was crowned in the Roman praetorium by the four soldiers who mocked and spit on him.

His heart took all of this in silence for us and is a wonderful presentation to us of his extreme love for all.

Each Friday is a day of opportunity to remember this and to tell him how grateful we are for his devotion to us.

Just some special thoughts.
 
Bump. I hope many other people get the opportunity to see this.
 
Thank you to Hansel Paul for forwarding the following:
**
Novena of Confidence to the Sacred Heart**

O Lord Jesus Christ, to Your most Sacred Heart I confide this intention. [State your request.] Only look upon me, then do what Your love inspires. Let Your Sacred Heart decide . . . I count on You . . . I trust in You . . . I throw myself on Your mercy. Lord Jesus, You will not fail me.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in you.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Your love for me.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Your kingdom come.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked You for many favors, but I earnestly implore this one. Take it, place it in Your open Heart. When the Eternal Father looks upon it, He will see it covered with Your Precious Blood. It will be no longer my prayer but Yours, Jesus.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You. Let me not be disappointed. Amen.
 
I have almost completed the 9 First Fridays and I am amazed and humbled at the changes I have seen in my spirituality.

The Church has traditionally seen devotion to the Sacred Heart as the “devotion of devotions” or the preeminent devotion. It is awareness and devotion to God’s love for us as expressed by Jesus pierced Heart. Pope Benedict has said it is “an irreplaceable importance for our faith and and out life of love” and “remains indispensable for a living relationship with God.”

It call us to closer and closer conformance with the person and love of Jesus. One of the prayers is “Sacred Heart of Jesus, make my heart like Yours”. At times when I pray and meditate on this prayer I feel as if my heart is expanding and tearing and breaking open with the love of Jesus. God is love and this most ancient devotion is centered on offering ourselves to that Love and becoming that Love to out brothers and sisters.

We have a small group that does the First Fridays at the 7 AM mass at St Augustine’s in Elkridge,MD and we all are seeing spiritual fruit from this Devotion.

The Jesuits have traditionally promulgated the devotion through the Apostleship of Prayer. Last year the US Director of the AOP, James Kubicki, S. J., released and new book on the devotion entitled A Heart on Fire: Rediscovering Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus… It is very informative and powerful. It can be purchased hereapostleshipofprayer.org/kubickibook.html

The website also has some great talks on the Sacred Heart apostleshipofprayer.org/audio.html Check out “LIving with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pierced and Inflamed”

And " The Sacred Heart of Jesus" here apostleshipofprayer.org/video.html

Here is a good blog post about Blessed John Paul II’s devotion to the Sacred Heart jp2forum.blogspot.com/2010/12/john-paul-ii-on-sacred-heart.html

I hope you all have a chance to explore this ancient and beautiful devotion

Yours in the Love of His Sacred Heart,

Patrick
 
This Friday, 1 FEB, is the First Friday for February.

Yours in the Love of His Sacred Heart,
Patrick
 
CPC said:
This Friday, 1 FEB, is the First Friday for February.

Yours in the Love of His Sacred Heart,
Patrick
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Hi CPC,

Thanks for reminding us about the feast day today. Praying that many will be drawn more deeply into His love through the devotion to the Sacred Heart.
 
asia53 said:
I bought this booklet: Holy Hour of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It’s a guided one hour meditation, can be longer, depending on your private meditation time. Inexpensive. It’s wonderful!
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Thanks! I’ll check it out.

I have a question for the group. Does your parish do anything special for First Friday? Do they use the Sacred Heart Mass? Is a the Sacred Heart mentioned in the homily? Are extra masses added? How about Eucharistic Adoration? Thanks.

I usually go to the Parish near my office, not my home Parish, at 7AM. The Pastor uses the Daily Mass and does not acknowledge the Sacred Heart. After Mass the Rosary is recited daily by about 15 people. Four of us were recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. There folks were doing saying the Chaplet before I showed up. When I started doing First Fridays I convinced them to add First Friday devotions. We do the Acts of Consecration and Reparation followed by the Novena, including the litany. This Friday the Pastor heard my confession during the Rosary. I plan to visit him and let him know that four of us are doing First Fridays. Maybe he will begin to mention it.

Yours in the Love of His Sacred Heart,
Patrick
 
Patrick,
I think it’s great that you requested adding First Friday devotions. I think there are many of who could follow your lead and do the same…

There is only one parish I have been to recently that uses the Sacred Heart prayers for the First Friday Mass. There are many celebrants, however, who have at least mentioned the Sacred Heart in a homily on the First Friday. (I travel a lot locally, and so I’ve gone to quite a few different parishes in my city.)

One parish has a large image of the Sacred Heart near the altar–and it’s a new parish too. That parish quickly became one of my favorites. 🙂

It doesn’t seem that the devotion to the Sacred Heart is necessarily overlooked, but there’s definitely a lot of room for it to become better known.

I’m also curious of what others have experienced. Also, I’m curious about how others discovered the devotion. Was it through explicit instruction, or the recommendation of a friend or priest? Or just reading about it? I learned about it just by coming across some good reading material…and I’m so glad I did!
 
Thank you for bumping the thread. I keep seeing references to this devotion, maybe God is trying to tell me something. I will do the 9 Fridays since my parish has adoration on those days. I try to go regularly but this will give me an extra incentive.
 
My devotion is the blessed sacrament I find it really moving to pray to the blessed sacrament
 
Thank you, Contra Mundum and Aran, for your replies.

Contra Mundum, consider sharing with us your reflections and insights about the devotion in the future. I always enjoy reading your comments.

Aran,you have an important point. The Sacred Heart devotion encourages dedication to the Blessed Sacrament. In the book Devotion to the Sacred Heart by Fr. John Croiset, S.J., Father Croiset exhorts the faithful to reflect on the great gift of the Eucharist. He writes:
“(Imagine the sentiments of Jesus when he foresaw that) no matter what he might to do be loved by the faithful, even dwelling always amongst them in the Blessed Eucharist, neither this excess of His love, nor his benefits, nor His very presence would be capable of making the greater part of them love Him or would prevent them from forgetting Him. He saw that those churches in which He was to be sacramentally present would be left for the most of the time without adorers. He saw what little reverence…what disrespect would be shown in His presence. He saw clearly how the greater part of His followers, who spend long hours in vain amusements and useless visits and complete idleness, would rarely find a quarter of an hour to spend before Him in the Blessed Sacrament. He knew how many others would visit Him only under compulsion and without either devotion or reverence. And finally, He saw the very small number who would eagerly visit Him and devoutly adore Him. He saw clearly that the greater number would no more take notice of Him than if He were not really present in the Blessed Sacrament, or than if He were a person of no consequence.”
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Devotion to the Sacred Heart is the King of all devotions. It honors the source of Jesus love and Mercy. O, Precious Blood from the Heart of Jesus save us!

My experience of this year’s celebration of the Feast of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was very moving. I hope all had a similar experience.

Please try to immerse yourself into this devotion. The 12 Promises are real!!!

Yours in the Love of His Heart,
Patrick
 
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