| THE DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS |
| HISTORY OF: From the time of John the Evangelist, there has always been a devotion to the love of God. However, there is nothing to indicate that during the first 10 centuries, any worship was devoted to the wounded Heart of Jesus. During the 11th and 12th centuries the devotion was noted in the Benedictine and Cistercian monastaries. From the 13th to the 15th century began to spread to Franciscans, Dominicans, Carthusians, etc. The 5 wounds being a part of the Franciscan teachings. In the 16th century, the devotion turned from inward to outward and more established as a devotion with prayers already formulated and special exercises, found in the writing of the Carthusians. The image of the Sacred Heart was everywhere in evidence, largely due to the Franciscan devotion to the 5 wounds. The Jesuits used the image on their title-page of their books and in walls of their churches. Never the less remained private, until Jean Eudes an apostle of the Heart of Mary; his devotion to the heart of Jesus led to public awareness and a feast day being named and celebrated. |
| VISIONS OF ST. MARGARET MARY St Margaret Mary claimed to have visions from Jesus that permitted her, to rest her head upon His Heart. Then told her of His love, telling her that He desired to make this known to all mankind. In 1674, Margaret Mary claimed that Jesus requested to be honored under the figure of His Heart of flesh. Devotion of love, frequent receiving of Communion, especially on the 1st Friday of the month and the observance of the Holy Hour. During the day before Corpus Christi in 1675, the vision known as the "great appariation" took place. Jesus told her "Behold the Heart that has so loved man..instead of gratitude I receive from the greater part on ingratitude" and asked her for a feast day for reparation. Asking her to consult Fr.de la Colombiere, then superior of the Jesuit house at Paray. |
| WORSHIP AND DEVOTION The acts of consecration, reparation and devotion were introduced when the feast of the Sacred Heart was declared. Pope Pius VI praised devotion to the Sacred Heart. Finally by order of Leo XIII, he consecrated every human to the Sacred Heart. He called it the "great act". And told them that it was told to him from a religious woman who had received the instructions in a vision from Jesus. Worship of the Sacred Heart consists of hymns, and prayers (See prayers) including the Litany of the Sacred Heart. |
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| PRAYERS to the Sacrred Heart of Jesus and Litany |
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| PROMISES OF THE SACRED HEART I - I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life. 2- I will establish peace in their homes. 3- I will comfort them in all their afflictions. 4- I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death. 5 - I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings. 6 - Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy. 7 - Tepid souls shall become fervent. 8 - Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection. 9- I will bless every place in which 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- Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced. 12- I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart and My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in 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. |