Behold this Heart

Ave Maria MeditationsBehold this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love. In return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrileges, and by the coldness and contempt they have for me in this Sacrament of love… I come into the heart I have given you in order that through your fervor you may atone for the offenses which I have received from lukewarm and slothful hearts that dishonor me in the Blessed Sacrament. “Through you My divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth.”

from a letter by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque:
The sacred heart of Christ is an inexhaustible fountain and its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives according to his good pleasure. From this divine heart three streams flow endlessly.

The first is the stream of mercy for sinners; it pours into their hearts sentiments of contrition and repentance. The second is the stream of charity which helps all in need and especially aids those seeking perfection in order to find the means of surmounting their difficulties. From the third stream flow love and light for the benefit of his friends who have attained perfection; these he wishes to unit to himself so that they may share his knowledge and commandments and, in their individual ways, devote themselves wholly to advancing his glory.

This divine heart is an abyss filled with all blessings, and into the poor should submerge all their needs. It is an abyss of joy in which all of us can immerse our sorrows. It is an abyss of lowliness to counteract our foolishness, an abyss of mercy for the wretched, an abyss of love to meet our every need.

Are you making no progress in prayer? The you need only offer God the prayers which the Savior has poured out for us in the sacrament of the altar. Offer God his fervent love in reparation for your sluggishness. In the course of every activity pray as follows: “My God, I do this or I endure that in the heart of your Son and according to his holy counsels. I offer it to you in reparation for anything blameworthy or imperfect in my actions.”

Continue to do this in every circumstance of life. But above all preserve peace of heart. This is more valuable than any treasure. In order to preserve it there is nothing more useful than renouncing your own will and substituting for it the will of the divine heart. In this way his will can carry out for us whatever contributes to his glory, and we will be happy to be his subjects and to trust entirely in him.               

FIRST FRIDAY DEVOTION:

The Twelve Promises of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary for those devoted to His Sacred Heart:

1.        I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.

2.        I will establish 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 their death.

5.        I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.

6.        Sinners shall find in My Heart the source of an 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 where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.

10.     I will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.

11.      Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to 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 that last hour.