In the Spirit: Devotion to the Sacred Heart

From the earliest centuries, “Christ’s open side and the mystery of blood and water were meditated upon, and the Church was beheld issuing from the side of Jesus, as Eve came forth from the side of Adam.  . . .  It is in the eleventh and twelfth centuries that we find the first unmistakable indications of devotion to the Sacred Heart.  Through the wound in the side, the wounded Heart was gradually reached, and the wound in the Heart symbolized the wound of love.”
(from the Article “Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus” in the Catholic Encyclopedia)

The month of June is dedicated by the Church to the Sacred Heart.  Catholics have a rich tradition of meditation on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  This is not a meditation on an isolated organ of Our Lord's human body, but rather, we meditate on His Sacred Heart as a symbol of his love for us--a symbol intrinsically linked to the reality of sacrificial love, since His heart was "pierced for our transgressions."

This devotion was ratified and promulgated through the visions of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690).  She wrote beautiful meditations and records of her visions [I have yet to read them, but friends tell me they're inspiring].  In those writings, she writes that Our Lord made special promises to those who received Holy Communion on 9 consecutive 1st Fridays [the 1st Friday of 9 months in a row].  Check them out!

Sometimes I think that we do not so much choose particular devotions as Christ picks them for us.  The devotion to the Sacred Heart has been like that for me.  Soon after my family converted to the Catholic faith, we found a picture of the Sacred Heart in our basement.  It used to hang above my grandma's bed when she was young, and for some reason she had given it to my dad.  The worn picture was given a place of honor above my bed, and as a little girl I used to stand on my bed, kiss Christ's heart, and tell Him I loved Him every night before bed.  Since that time, images of the Sacred Heart, churches under that patronage, and a religious order by that name have all been prominent in my spiritual journey.  My favorite statue of the Sacred Heart was in the Cathedral in Mexico City; Christ's gaze of love, compassion, and strength is just as I have always pictured it.  Alas, I didn't have my camera with me at the moment . . . 

Have you ever seen images of a heart with thorns and flames like this?  Well, now you know where that image comes from.  I dare you to compliment someone on their tattoo and ask if they have a special devotion to the Sacred Heart.  You'll either get looked at strangely or have an awesome missionary moment.  I think we should reclaim this "trendy" icon!

And while we're talking about spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart . . . check out this awesome Catholic t-shirt from RomanticCatholic.com [I love their stuff!]

Here is a beautiful novena to the Sacred Heart.

Do you have a favorite devotion that you feel has "been given to you"?  Have you ever done the 9 First Fridays devotion?  Tell us about it! 

Image sources: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbq-2xR0WuL5surk94bQN9n5T9ESPAEif-S5LECdteZXK8u5-9Elk63YOAuq3K4oz2PKf9cD_lCIc7-Gt1XvUI0wgyH23EzihKVuBhm2eVm9jOH54YZgycdqXfEVpX-BywGjnEIw/s400/sacred-heart-of-jesus.gif
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/2306796968_07324d24f0.jpg