First Friday and the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Sacred Heart Church, Honolulu

Today the Catholic Church celebrates the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  In fact, the whole month of June is dedicated to Jesus' Most Sacred Heart.  For those of you who still have not done the nine First Fridays, why not start today. What a wonderful way to honor the Most Tender and Loving Heart of our Lord!

"From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion."  - Pope Pius XI regarding the Sacred Heart Devotion.

The devotion consists in the divine worship of the human heart of Christ, which is united to His divinity and which is a symbol of His love for us.  The aim of the devotion is to make our Lord king over our hearts by prompting them to return love to Him (especially through an act of consecration by which we offer to the Heart of Jesus both ourselves and all that belongs to us) and to make reparation for our ingratitude to God.

O Heart of love, I put all my trust in Thee; for I fear all things from my own weakness, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness. - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Hail, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, living and quickening source of eternal life, infinite treasure of the Divinity, and burning furnace of divine love.  Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary, O my amiable Savior.  Consume my heart with that burning fire with which Thine is ever inflamed.  Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Thy love, and let my heart be so united with Thine, that our wills may be one, and mine in all things be conformed to Thine.  May Thy divine will be equally the standard and rule of all my desires and of all my actions.  Amen. - St. Gertrude

Prayer for the Church

O most holy Heart of Jesus, shower Thy blessings in abundant measure upon Thy holy Church, upon the Supreme Pontiff and upon all the clergy;  to the just grant perseverance; convert sinners; enlighten unbelievers; bless our relations, friends and benefactors; assists the dying; deliver the holy souls in purgatory; and extend over all hearts the sweet empire of Thy love.  Amen.

Act of Love

Reveal Thy Sacred Heart to me, O Jesus, and show me Its attractions.   Unite me to It for ever.  Grant that all my aspirations and all the beats of my heart, which cease not even while I sleep, may be a testimonial to Thee of my love for Thee and may say to thee:  Yes, Lord, I am all Thine; the pledge of my allegiance to Thee rests ever in my heart and will never cease to be there.  Do Thou accept the slight amount of good that I do and be graciously please to repair all my wrong-doing; so that I may be able to bless Thee in time and eternity.  Amen.  - Cardinal Merry Del Val

The Prayer Book, The Catholic Press, Inc.