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Sacred
Heart of Jesus
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Sacred
Heart of Jesus (Topic Page)
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"This
devotion [to the Sacred Heart of Jesus], which We recommend to all, will be profitable to all."
(Pope Leo XIII)
"We
do not hesitate to declare that devotion to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus is the most effective school of the love of God; the love of
God, We say, which must be the foundation on which to build up the
kingdom of God in the hearts of individuals, families, and nations" (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis Aquas", 1956 A.D.)
"[O]ur
Redeemer Himself promised to Margaret Mary that 'all those who
rendered this honor to His Heart would be endowed with an
abundance of heavenly graces.'" (Pope Pius XI, "Miserentissimus
Redemptor", 1928)
"If
this devotion is constantly practiced with this knowledge and
understanding, the souls of the faithful cannot but attain to the
sweet knowledge of the love of Christ which is the perfection of
Christian life" (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis Aquas",
1956)
"Behold,
today, another true sign of God's favor is presented to our gaze,
namely, the Sacred Heart of Jesus...shining forth with a wondrous
splendor from amidst flames. In it must all our hopes be placed;
from it salvation is to be sought and hoped for." (Pope Leo
XIII)
"[A]
Christian in paying honor along with the Church to the Heart of
Jesus is adoring the symbol and, as it were, the visible sign of
the divine charity which went so far as to love intensely, through
the Heart of the Word made Flesh, the human race stained with so
many sins." (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis Aquas",
1956)
"It
is likewise Our most fervent desire that all who profess
themselves Christians and are seriously engaged in the effort to
establish the kingdom of Christ on earth will consider the
practice of devotion to the Heart of Jesus as the source and
symbol of unity, salvation and peace." (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis
Aquas", 1956)
"We
think it opportune to exhort you once again venerable brethren,
and through you all those dear children of Ours in Christ, to
continue to exercise an ever more vigorous zeal in promoting this
most attractive form of piety; for from it in our times also We
trust that very many benefits will arise." (Pope Pius XII,
"Haurietis Aquas", 1956)
"Is
not a summary of all our religion and moreover, a guide to a more
perfect life contained in this one devotion [to the Sacred Heart
of Jesus]? Indeed, it more easily leads our minds to know Christ
the Lord intimately and more effectively turns our heads to love
Him more ardently and to imitate Him more perfectly. " (Pope
Pius XI)
"While
We gaze round at such a marvelous sight, namely, a devotion to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus both warm and widespread among all ranks of
the faithful, We are filled with a sense of gratitude and joy and
consolation. And after We have offered thanks, as We ought, to our
Redeemer Who is the infinite treasury of goodness, We cannot help
offering Our paternal congratulations to all those, whether of the
clergy or of the laity, who have made active contribution to the
extending of this devotion." (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis
Aquas", 1956)
"Hence,
let all be completely convinced that in showing devotion to the
most Sacred Heart of Jesus the external acts of piety have not the
first or most important place; nor is its essence to be found
primarily in the benefits to be obtained. For if Christ has
solemnly promised them in private revelations it was for the
purpose of encouraging men to perform with greater fervor the
chief duties of the Catholic religion, namely, love and expiation,
and thus take all possible measures for their own spiritual
advantage." (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis Aquas",
1956)
"We decreed at the same time that this same Consecration
[to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus] should be
renewed every year on the occasion of that appointed festal day,
so that the fruit of this same Consecration might be obtained more
certainly and more abundantly, and all peoples might be joined
together in Christian charity and in the reconciliation of peace,
in the Heart of the King of kings and Lord of lords." (Pope
Pius XI, "Miserentissimus Redemptor", 1928)
"For
if the first and foremost thing in Consecration [to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus] is this, that the
creature's love should be given in return for the love of the
Creator, another thing follows from this at once, namely that to
the same uncreated Love, if so be it has been neglected by
forgetfulness or violated by offense, some sort of compensation
must be rendered for the injury, and this debt is commonly called
by the name of reparation." (Pope Pius XI, "Miserentissimus
Redemptor", 1928)
"For
since we are all sinners and laden with many faults, our God must
be honored by us not only by that worship wherewith we adore His
infinite Majesty with due homage, or acknowledge His supreme
dominion by praying, or praise His boundless bounty by
thanksgiving; but besides this we must need make satisfaction to
God the just avenger, 'for our numberless sins and offenses and
negligences.' To Consecration [to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus], therefore, whereby we are devoted
to God and are called holy to God, by that holiness and stability
which, as the Angelic Doctor teaches, is proper to consecration
(2da. 2dae. qu. 81, a. 8. c.), there must be added expiation,
whereby sins are wholly blotted out, lest the holiness of the
supreme justice may punish our shameless unworthiness, and reject
our offering as hateful rather than accept it as pleasing."
(Pope Pius XI, "Miserentissimus Redemptor", 1928)
"The
Church has always valued, and still does, the devotion to the Most
Sacred Heart of Jesus so highly that she provides for the spread
of it among Christian peoples everywhere and by every means. At
the same time she uses every effort to protect it against the
charges of so-called 'naturalism' and 'sentimentalism.' In spite
of this it is much to be regretted that, both in the past and in
our own times, this most noble devotion does not find a place of
honor and esteem among certain Christians and even occasionally
not among those who profess themselves moved by zeal for the
Catholic religion and the attainment of holiness." (Pope Pius
XII, "Haurietis Aquas", 1956)
"When
so many evils meet Our gaze - such as cause sharp conflict among
individuals, families, nations and the whole world, particularly
today more than at any other time - where are We to seek a remedy,
venerable brethren? Can a form of devotion surpassing that to the
most Sacred Heart of Jesus be found, which corresponds better to
the essential character of the Catholic faith, which is more
capable of assisting the present-day needs of the Church and the
human race? What religious practice is more excellent, more
attractive, more salutary than this, since the devotion in
question is entirely directed towards the love of God
itself?" (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis Aquas", 1956)
"The
Sacred Heart of Jesus has been wounded in order that by means of
the visible wound we may see the invisible wound of His divine
love. Who would not love this Heart so wounded for the love of us?
who would not return love for love to a Savior who has done so
much for us? Thy side, O Lord, has been pierced in order that we
should find an entry into Thy Sacred Heart. Oh how sweet and good
it is to seek repose in that Heart divine. From my Savior's sacred
wounds, I find out His Heart's secret: I now can fathom the depths
of God's goodness, for the bowels of mercy which caused Him to
come down from heaven to dwell with us are open to me." (St.
Bernard, Doctor of the Church)
"It is altogether impossible to enumerate the heavenly gifts which
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has poured out on the souls
of the faithful, purifying them, offering them heavenly strength,
rousing them to the attainment of all virtues. Therefore,
recalling those wise words of the Apostle St. James, 'Every best
gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the
Father of Lights,' We are perfectly justified in seeing in this
same devotion, which flourishes with increasing fervor throughout
the world, a gift without price which our divine Savior the
Incarnate Word, as the one Mediator of grace and truth between the
heavenly Father and the human race imparted to the Church, His
mystical Spouse, in recent centuries when she had to endure such
trials and surmount so many difficulties." (Pope Pius XII,
"Haurietis Aquas", 1956)
"[T]here
is no doubt that Christians in paying homage to the Sacred Heart
of the Redeemer are fulfilling a serious part of their obligations
in their service of God and, at the same time, they are
surrendering themselves to their Creator and Redeemer with regard
to both the affections of the heart and the external activities of
their life; in this way, they are obeying that divine commandment:
'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with
thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole
Strength.' Besides, they have the firm conviction that they are
moved to honor God not primarily for their own advantage in what
concerns soul and body in this life and in the next, but for the
sake of God's goodness they strive to render Him their homage, to
give Him back love for love, to adore Him and offer Him due
thanks." (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis Aquas", 1956)
"When the Church, in the days immediately
succeeding her institution, was oppressed beneath the yoke of the
Caesars, a young Emperor saw in the heavens a cross, which became
at once the happy omen and cause of the glorious victory that soon
followed. And now, today, behold another blessed and heavenly
token is offered to our sight - the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, with
a cross rising from it and shining forth with dazzling splendor
amidst flames of love. In that Sacred Heart all our hopes should
be placed, and from it the salvation of men is to be confidently
besought." (Pope Leo XIII, "Annum Sacrum", 1899
A.D.) "To
cite some examples in establishing this devotion to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus and continuously promoting it, great service was
rendered by St. Bonaventure, St. Albert the Great, St. Gertrude,
St. Catherine of Siena, Blessed Henry Suso, St. Peter Canisius,
St. Francis de Sales. St. John Eudes was responsible for the first
liturgical office celebrated in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
whose solemn feast, with the approval of many Bishops in France,
was observed for the first time on October 20th, 1672. But surely
the most distinguished place among those who have fostered this
most excellent type of devotion is held by St. Margaret Mary
Alacoque who, under the spiritual direction of Blessed Claude de
la Colombiere who assisted her work, was on fire with an unusual
zeal to see to it that the real meaning of the devotion which had
had such extensive developments to the great edification of the
faithful should be established and be distinguished from other
forms of Christian piety by the special qualities of love and
reparation." (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis Aquas",
1956)
"In
truth if the arguments brought forward which form the foundation
for the devotion to the pierced Heart of Jesus are duly pondered,
it is surely clear that there is no question here of some ordinary
form of piety which anyone at his own whim may treat as of little
consequence or set aside as inferior to others, but of a religious
practice which helps very much towards the attaining of Christian
perfection. For if 'devotion' according to the accepted
theological notion which the Angelic Doctor gives us - 'appears to
be nothing else save a willingness to give oneself readily to what
concerns the service of God,' is it possible that there is any
service of God more obligatory and necessary, and at the same time
more excellent and attractive, than the one which is dedicated to
love? For what is more pleasing and acceptable to God than service
which pays homage to the divine love and is offered for the sake
of that love...?" (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis Aquas",
1956 A.D.)
"It
must not be said that this devotion has taken its origin from some
private revelation of God and has suddenly appeared in the Church;
rather, it has blossomed forth of its own accord as a result of
that lively faith and burning devotion of men who were endowed
with heavenly gifts, and who were drawn towards the adorable
Redeemer and His glorious wounds which they saw as irresistible
proofs of that unbounded love. Consequently, it is clear that the
revelations made to St. Margaret Mary brought nothing new into
Catholic doctrine. Their importance lay in this that Christ Our
Lord, exposing His Sacred Heart, wished in a quite extraordinary
way to invite the minds of men to a contemplation of, and a
devotion to, the mystery of God's merciful love for the human
race. In this special manifestation Christ pointed to His Heart,
with definite and repeated words, as the symbol by which men
should be attracted to a knowledge and recognition of His love;
and at the same time He established it as a sign or pledge of
mercy and grace for the needs of the Church of our times."
(Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis Aquas", 1956)
"In
order that favors in greater abundance may flow on all Christians,
nay, on the whole human race, from the devotion to the most Sacred
Heart of Jesus, let the faithful see to it that to this devotion
the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God is closely joined. For,
by God's Will, in carrying out the work of human Redemption the
Blessed Virgin Mary was inseparably linked with Christ in such a
manner that our salvation sprang from the love and the sufferings
of Jesus Christ to which the love and sorrows of His Mother were
intimately united. 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. Entirely in keeping with this
most sweet and wise disposition of divine Providence is the
memorable act of consecration by which We Ourselves solemnly
dedicated Holy Church and the whole world to the spotless Heart of
the Blessed Virgin Mary." (Pope Pius XII, "Haurietis
Aquas", 1956)
"[W]e
earnestly desire that this custom of expiation or pious
reparation, long since devoutly introduced and devoutly
propagated, may also be more firmly sanctioned by Our Apostolic
authority and more solemnly celebrated by the whole Catholic name.
Wherefore, we decree and command that every year on the Feast of
the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, - which feast indeed on this
occasion we have ordered to be raised to the degree of a double of
the first class with an octave - in all churches throughout the
whole world, the same expiatory prayer or protestation as it is
called, to Our most loving Savior, set forth in the same words
according to the copy subjoined to this letter shall be solemnly
recited, so that all our faults may be washed away with tears, and
reparation may be made for the violated rights of Christ the
supreme King and Our most loving Lord. There is surely no reason
for doubting, Venerable Brethren, that from this devotion piously
established and commanded to the whole Church, many excellent
benefits will flow forth not only to individual men but also to
society, sacred, civil, and domestic" (Pope Pius XI, "Miserentissimus
Redemptor", 1928)
"We
therefore urge all Our children in Christ, both those who are
already accustomed to drink the saving waters flowing from the
Heart of the Redeemer and, more especially those who look on from
a distance like hesitant spectators, to eagerly embrace this
devotion. Let them carefully consider, as We have said, that it is
a question of a devotion which has long been powerful in the
Church and is solidly founded on the Gospel narrative. It received
clear support from tradition and the sacred liturgy and has been
frequently and generously praised by the Roman Pontiffs
themselves. These were not satisfied with establishing a feast in
honor of the most Sacred Heart of the Redeemer and extending it to
the Universal Church; they were also responsible for the solemn
acts of dedication which consecrated the whole human race to the
same Sacred Heart. Moreover, there are to be reckoned the abundant
and joyous fruits which have flowed therefrom to the Church:
countless souls returned to the Christian religion, the faith of
many roused to greater activity, a closer tie between the faithful
and our most loving Redeemer. All these benefits particularly in
the most recent decades, have passed before Our eyes in greater
numbers and more dazzling significance." (Pope Pius XII,
"Haurietis Aquas", 1956)
"It
is in the adorable heart of Jesus that we shall find every help
for our necessities, every remedy for the cure of our ills, the
most powerful assistance against the assaults of our enemies, the
sweetest consolation to soothe our sufferings, the purest delight
to fill our souls with joy. Are you in sorrow? Do your enemies
persecute you? Does the recollection of your past sins disturb
you? Is your heart troubled or full of fear? Throw yourself, so to
speak, in the wounds of Jesus Christ, even into His Sacred Heart,
it is a sanctuary, it is the retreat for holy souls, and a place
of refuge wherein your soul is safe. It is to Him and through Him
that we should ask for all we require; it is through Him and in
Him that we should offer to the Eternal Father all we do, because
this Sacred Heart is the treasury of every supernatural gift, the
source of every grace. It is the channel through which we unite
ourselves more intimately to God, and through which God
communicates Himself more freely. It is, in fine, to this Sacred
Heart we should continually strive to unite ours - no longer
wishing to have other desires or sentiments than those of Jesus -
and then we may be sure that His will and His Sacred Heart may, so
to speak, merge into our heart, and that the two will be as one.
Draw waters at leisure out of the Savior's fountains: you will
never exhaust them." (St. Peter Damien, Doctor of the Church)
"But
assuredly among those things which properly pertain to the worship
of the Most Sacred Heart, a special place must be given to that
Consecration, whereby we devote ourselves and all things that are
ours to the Divine Heart of Jesus, acknowledging that we have
received all things from the everlasting love of God. When Our
Savior had taught Margaret Mary, the most innocent disciple of His
Heart, how much He desired that this duty of devotion should be
rendered to him by men, moved in this not so much by His own right
as by His immense charity for us; she herself, with her spiritual
father, Claude de la Colombiere, rendered it the first of all.
Thereafter followed, in the course of time, individual men, then
private families and associations, and lastly civil magistrates,
cities and kingdoms. But since in the last century, and in this
present century, things have come to such a pass, that by the
machinations of wicked men the sovereignty of Christ Our Lord has
been denied and war is publicly waged against the Church, by
passing laws and promoting plebiscites repugnant to Divine and
natural law, nay more by holding assemblies of them that cry out,
'We will not have this man to reign over us' (Luke xix, 14): from
the aforesaid Consecration there burst forth over against them in
keenest opposition the voice of all the clients of the Most Sacred
Heart, as it were one voice, to vindicate His glory and to assert
His rights: 'Christ must reign' (1 Corinthians xv, 25); 'Thy
kingdom come' (Matth. vi, 10)." (Pope Pius XI, "Miserentissimus
Redemptor", 1928)
"And
truly the spirit of expiation or reparation has always had the
first and foremost place in the worship given to the Most Sacred
Heart of Jesus, and nothing is more in keeping with the origin,
the character, the power, and the distinctive practices of this
form of devotion, as appears from the record of history and
custom, as well as from the sacred liturgy and the acts of the
Sovereign Pontiffs. For when Christ manifested Himself to Margaret
Mary, and declared to her the infinitude of His love, at the same
time, in the manner of a mourner, He complained that so many and
such great injuries were done to Him by ungrateful men - and we
would that these words in which He made this complaint were fixed
in the minds of the faithful, and were never blotted out by
oblivion: 'Behold this Heart' - He said - 'which has loved men so
much and has loaded them with all benefits, and for this boundless
love has had no return but neglect, and contumely, and this often
from those who were bound by a debt and duty of a more special
love.' In order that these faults might be washed away, He then
recommended several things to be done, and in particular the
following as most pleasing to Himself, namely that men should
approach the Altar with this purpose of expiating sin, making what
is called a Communion of Reparation, - and that they should
likewise make expiatory supplications and prayers, prolonged for a
whole hour, - which is rightly called the 'Holy Hour.' These pious
exercises have been approved by the Church and have also been
enriched with copious indulgences." (Pope Pius XI, "Miserentissimus
Redemptor", 1928)
"To this twofold ground of His power and domination He graciously
allows us, if we think fit, to add voluntary consecration. Jesus
Christ, our God and our Redeemer, is rich in the fullest and
perfect possession of all things: we, on the other hand, are so
poor and needy that we have nothing of our own to offer Him as a
gift. But yet, in His infinite goodness and love, He in no way
objects to our giving and consecrating to Him what is already His,
as if it were really our own; nay, far from refusing such an
offering, He positively desires it and asks for it: 'My son, give
me thy heart.' We are, therefore, able to be pleasing to Him by
the good will and the affection of our soul. For by consecrating
ourselves to Him we not only declare our open and free
acknowledgment and acceptance of His authority over us, but we
also testify that if what we offer as a gift were really our own,
we would still offer it with our whole heart. We also beg of Him
that He would vouchsafe to receive it from us, though clearly His
own. Such is the efficacy of the act of which We speak, such is
the meaning underlying Our words. And since there is in the Sacred
Heart a symbol and a sensible image of the infinite love of Jesus
Christ which moves us to love one another, therefore is it fit and
proper that we should consecrate ourselves to His most Sacred
Heart - an act which is nothing else than an offering and a
binding of oneself to Jesus Christ, seeing that whatever honor,
veneration and love is given to this divine Heart is really and
truly given to Christ Himself." (Pope Leo XIII, "Annum Sacrum",
1899 A.D.) Also
See: Sacred
Heart of Jesus (Devotion)
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