The Feast of the Sacred Heart

May 30 marks the Roman Catholic feast day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This feast commemorates the apparitions of Jesus to Margaret Mary Alacoque in Paray-le-Monial, France from 1673 to 1675.

Details of the apparitions events revolve around Margaret Mary Alacoque devotionals to the Roman Catholic Eucharistic host:

...during the second apparition, early in 1674, when Margaret Mary saw Jesus' Sacred Heart on a throne of flames, transparent as crystal, surrounded by a crown of thorns signifying the sins of mankind, with a cross above it.

...while Margaret Mary was praying before the Blessed Sacrament exposed, that is the host consecrated during Mass which had become the Body of Christ. She saw a vision of Jesus in glory, with his five wounds shining like suns, and he then showed her his heart on fire with love for mankind, a love that unfortunately was often ignored or treated with contempt.

He asked her to make up for this coldness and ingratitude by receiving Holy Communion as often as she was allowed, and particularly on the first Friday of each month. This idea of making reparation for the sins of others is also prominent in the messages given by Mary to the children at Fatima in 1917.

The fourth apparition, which probably took place on 16 June 1675, was the most important. Again it happened as Margaret Mary was praying before the Blessed Sacrament, when he again showed her a representation of his heart, further complaining of the ingratitude and coldness of mankind towards him, and particularly when this was the case with those specially consecrated to him.

The "Great promise" associated with this devotion applied to those who went to Communion on nine consecutive First Fridays: "I promise you, in the excess of the mercy of My Heart, that Its all-powerful love 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 the Sacraments, My Divine Heart becoming their assured refuge at that last hour."

Margaret Mary's childhood was marked with strong devotion to the Roman Catholic Eucharist:

From early childhood Margaret showed intense love for the Blessed Sacrament, and preferred silence and prayer to childish amusements. After her first communion at the age of nine, she practised in secret severe corporal mortifications, until paralysis confined her to bed for four years. At the end of this period, having made a vow to the Blessed Virgin to consecrate herself to religious life, she was instantly restored to perfect health.

While the Emergent Church is rushing toward Roman Catholicism, and Rick Warren, Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren, et al, are promoting global ecumenical handholding, former Roman Catholic priest Richard Bennett works to show Roman Catholics the true rest and refuge found in the finished work of Christ.

Please visit Bennett's Berean Beacon Catholic Outreach and What Every Catholic Should Know today.