May is the month of Mary; July is the month of the Precious Blood of Jesus; October is the month of the Most Holy Rosary; November, traditionally, we pray for the dead. Finally, our focal point of this essay, is who we honor in the most special way in the month of June, and that is The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
We will encourage our readers to cultivate a deeper devotion to the most Sacred of Jesus by offering ten concrete suggestions. The clearest and most tangible symbol of God’s love for us is the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Burning Furnace of Charity. Draw close with great confidence and allow His Sacred Heart burning with love for you to set your heart on fire with love for Him and for the salvation of the whole world!
1. Bible resources. First and foremost, we should be keenly aware of the many passages where we can encounter the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Bible, the Word of God. A few passages that can encourage your meditation:
a) Lk. Chapter 1. The most Sacred Heart of Jesus was being formed in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the course of her pregnancy, which lasted about nine months. By honoring the most pure womb of Mary we are indirectly honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus and promoting respect for human life from conception until natural death.
b) Mt. 11: 28-30. Jesus Himself describes His own Heart with two words: meek and humble. Let us often pray this short prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: “Jesus meek and humble of Heart make my heart like unto thine.”
c) Mt. 26: 26-28—THE LAST SUPPER. It was at the Last Supper that Jesus instituted the most Holy Eucharist which is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Of course, the most noble organ in the human person is the heart. Therefore, when we receive Holy Communion we also receive the most Sacred Heart of Jesus; in a real sense, we can assert that every time we receive Holy Communion we receive a HEART TRANSPLANT!!!
d) Jn. 19—THE PIERCING OF THE SACRED HEART. After Jesus died, breathing forth His spirit into the hands of the eternal Father, the soldier with the lance, thrust the sword which pierced the side and the Heart of Jesus, the Savior. From this open side and open Heart came gushing forth both blood and water.
Therefore, above are four Gospel passages that point to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus for your meditation and contemplation. Dig deep into the treasures of Sacred Scripture in which can encounter the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
2. IMAGE AND ENTHRONEMENT. A practice most pleasing to God is purchasing an attractive image of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus and enthroning this image in a prominent place in your home. By doing this you are stating publicly that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lord Jesus is the Heart and center of your home and family.
3. FORMAL ENTHRONEMENT. Invite a priest into your home with the Book of Blessings in which he can formally bless your home by enthroning the image of most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The ritual consists of a Biblical passage, prayers, the use of holy water and the formal enthronement prayer. Enormous blessings flow from honoring the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, especially by means of a formal enthronement.
4. THE LITANY OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS. Get into the habit of praying the Litany of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The mystical, Biblical and poetic beauty of this Litany indeed is most inspiring and uplifting to our spiritual life.
5. VISIT THE BLESSED SACRAMENT AND ADORE. When you go to visit the most Blessed Sacrament in the Church—exposed or in the Tabernacle—then you are truly visiting the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Saint Pope John Paul II asserted that the Tabernacle is indeed the living Heartbeat of the Catholic Church. The more people we have visiting the Blessed Sacrament—the most Sacred Heart of Jesus—the more healthy that Parish is!
6. HOLY COMMUNION: THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS. As mentioned earlier, Holy Communion is the total Christ. Therefore, we receive in Holy Communion the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Receive Jesus often, but never in a routine or mechanical fashion, but rather with burning love and devotion!
7. JUNE: THE MONTH OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS. We should honor, praise, and worship the most Sacred Heart of Jesus always. However, the month of June is the month most specifically dedicated to honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all of my trust in you.
8. SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS. Within the context of the month of June the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This sublime and glorious Solemnity is celebrated on the Friday after the Sunday in which Corpus Christi is celebrated. On this day, in Holy Mass, we thank God for His infinite love that He has given to us in the Person of Jesus, but most especially in His Most Sacred Heart. As we contemplate the open Sacred Heart of Jesus that was pierced with the lance Good Friday, we come to a keen awareness of how much Jesus really loves each and every one of us, having died for us and allowing His Sacred Heart to be pierced for us.
9. IMITATE THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS. Knowledge generates love, and love generates imitation, and imitation eventually generates transformation. Saint Paul could assert with utmost sincerity: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” The virtues manifested in the Sacred Heart of Jesus are many: humility, compassion, patience, courage, purity, obedience, penance, meekness, and most especially that of charity—supernatural love. By striving to imitate these virtues you will most surely be on the highway to holiness and the highway to heaven.
10. SACRED HEART OF JESUS AND THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY. It would be incomplete if we did not encourage all of those growing in love for the most Sacred Heart of Jesus to cultivate devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. As stated at the start of this essay, the most Sacred Heart of Jesus was formed in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary for nine months. For this reason, why not enthrone the most Sacred Heart of Jesus in union with enthronement of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; they are indeed inseparable!
In conclusion, as we struggle in our daily pilgrimage towards heaven in this valley of tears, in this spiritual war-zone, striving to carry our cross and burdens patiently, let us seek refuge frequently in the Immaculate Heart of Mary and in the Sacred Heart of Jesus—the two most safe refuges! Trustfully heed the words that issued from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus: Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest; for I am meek and humble of Heart; my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Mt 11:28-30) If we seek refuge in His Sacred Heart in life, then we will be able to rest on His Sacred Heart in heaven for all eternity!
Father Ed Broom, OMV, is Associate Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. He is a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and was ordained by Saint John Paul II on May 25, 1986. Fr. Ed teaches Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality through articles, podcasts, a radio show, retreats and spiritual direction.
