Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The Month of June is traditionally dedicated to the devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. During this month, the Church invites us to deepen our love and devotion for the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the furnace of Love of the Blessed Trinity- the Love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, deposited in the Sacred Heart of Our Lord. To gaze upon the heart of Our Lord Jesus is to gaze at the Love of God for all of us. It is His love for humanity that the Sacred Heart of Jesus was formed in the womb of the Blessed Mother by the power of the Holy Spirit at the Incarnation of our Lord.
The private revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque given during the years 1673-1675, were officially recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765.
This week, rather than writing a full article, I would like to share with you a beautiful story I came across in my personal reading about the private revelation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The vision unfolds as follows: While Sister Margaret Alacoque is praying in the chapel, Our Lord Jesus appears before her.
“Margaret!” He calls, to rouse the sister, who has remained in ecstasy, looking at Him. He calls her three times, more and more gently, and smiling with ever-greater intensity. He advances, walking high above the ground on the carpet of light which is under Him. “It is I, Jesus, whom you love. Do not fear.”
Margaret Mary looks at Him blissfully and, amidst her tears, asks, “What do You want from me, Lord? Why are You appearing to me?”
“I am Jesus, who loves you, Margaret, and I want you to make Me be loved.”
“How can I, Lord?”
“Look. And you will be capable of everything, for what you will see will give you strength and a voice to rouse the world and bring it to Me. This is my Heart. Look. It is the Heart which has so loved men, wishing to be loved by them. But it is not loved. And in this love the salvation of the human race would be found. Margaret, tell the world that I want my Heart to be loved. I am thirsty! Give Me something to drink. I am hungry! Give Me something to eat. I suffer! Console Me. This mission will be your joy and your sorrow. But I ask you not to refuse it.
Come. Come to Me. Come close to Me. Kiss my Heart. You will no longer be afraid of anything…
Margaret Mary rises and walks in ecstasy towards Jesus. The intense light makes her face even whiter. She prostrates herself at Jesus’ feet.
But He lifts her up and, supporting her with his left hand, opens his robe over his chest, and his flesh seems to open along with his robe, and his Divine Heart appears, alive, beating amidst torrents of light setting the poor choir aflame and making the human body of the beloved disciple shine, like an already spiritualized body. Jesus inclines his cherished one towards Himself and, with loving violence, brings her face up to the level of his Heart, against which he clasps it, holding up the ecstatic, who would collapse out of joy, and when He separates her, He continues to hold her up, with gentle care, and sets her back on the ground-for Margaret walked over the wake of light to reach Jesus-and does not let her go until He sees she is safely in her place. He then says, “I shall come back to tell you what I want. Love Me more and more. Go in peace.”
May this beautiful story of the Sacred Heart of Jesus inspire all of us to a deeper love and devotion for the Sacred Heart of Our Lord and draw us ever closer to Him.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our heart like onto Yours.
Leaving you in the furnace of Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
+Fr. Gabriel Barrera.