Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy Upon Us!
“My Divine Heart is so inflamed with love for mankind … that It can no longer contain within Itself the flames of Its burning charity and must spread them abroad.”
Our Lord to Saint Margaret Mary
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as we know it today, began in France after Saint Margaret Mary received several visions. Our Lord requested a devotion of reparation, the Nine First Fridays and a feast of reparation, to be held the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi. We know this feast as the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is linked to Corpus Christi because His Heart is contained within His Corpus. There is also an indulgenced novena for this feast, to be started this year, June 2nd. See Novena to the Sacred Heart. What a wonderful time it is this month, to perform one of these great treasures of the Faith! There has never been a time when it has been more needed.
The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the day after the feast of the Sacred Heart. Holy Church shows us how intimately the 2 Hearts are joined, they are celebrated together. Just as Our Lord asked Saint Margaret Mary for reparation to His Heart, Our Lady of Fatima asked for reparation to her heart, particularly in the Five First Saturdays, which mirrors the Nine First Fridays.
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“In order that favors may flow in greater abundance on all Christians, even on the whole human race, from the devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, let the faithful see to it that devotion to the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God be closely joined to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus … It is, then, entirely fitting that the Christian people — who received the divine life from Christ through Mary — after they have paid their debt of honor to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, should also offer to the most loving Heart of their Heavenly Mother the corresponding acts of piety, affection, gratitude and expiation.”
Venerable Pope Pius XII, 20th Century Pope
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June also celebrates the birth of Saint John the Baptist, Saint Barnabas and 2 other early Christian warriors, Peter and Paul (whose potential was seen initially by Barnabas). We honor 4 Doctors of the Church, including the beloved Franciscan Saint Anthony of Padua, often shown with the Christ Child in his arms (one of his companions once peered at him and saw the young Jesus with him). Here is a selection of some of June’s notable feasts….
6/3-CORPUS CHRISTI (trad)
6/4-First Friday
6/5-First Saturday
6/6-MOST HOLY BODY & BLOOD OF CHRIST (new)
6/9-St. Ephrem, Doctor, “Harp of the Holy Ghost” “Mary’s Own Singer” “Father of Hymnody”
6/11-MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS (Friday solemnity) / St. Barnabas, Early Apostle (recruited St. Paul from Tarsus, probably martyred)
6/12-IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
6/13-St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor, “Doctor of the Gospel” “Hammer of Heretics” “Ark of Both Covenants”
6/14-St. Basil the Great, Doctor, “Father of Eastern Monasticism”
6/18-St. Ephrem (trad)
6/22-St. Thomas More, Martyr
6/23-Vigil of Nativity of St. John the Baptist
6/24-Nativity of St. John the Baptist
6/26-St. (Monsignor) Josemaria Escriva, 20th Century Saint, Founder of Opus Dei
6/27-St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor, “Doctor of the Incarnation” “Seal of the Fathers”
6/28-Vigil of Sts. Peter & Paul
6/29-Sts. Peter & Paul, Apostles
6/30-First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church
Notes: The titles of the Doctors of the Church are taken from The 35 Doctors of the Church. We give both old and new feasts, since people are coming from all parts of the world and all perspectives. Also, the future Church will not be divided-we must work toward unity.
Image courtesy patheos.com