Psalm 23: 1-3
June 1, 2023
MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL FOR 1ST JUNE
June 1, 2023
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
God made manifest in the crucified Christ has been a focus of devotion and piety since the very beginning of Christianity. But particular devotion to the heart of Christ first appeared in the Middle Ages.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart, as we know it today, arose in earnest in 17th-century France through the revelations received by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque with the assistance of her spiritual director, the Jesuit St. Claude de la Colombière.
By the 18th century, devotion to the Sacred Heart – and formal acts of consecration to the Sacred Heart – had spread across France and beyond. During the French Revolution, the Sacred Heart became an emblem of Catholic loyalists opposed to the anti-clerical, atheistic forces of the revolution. Catholic counterrevolutionaries in the Vendée wore insignia bearing the image of the Sacred Heart.
In 1856, Pope Pius IX established the Feast of the Sacred Heart for the universal Church. In 1899, Pope Leo XIII issued an encyclical, Annum Sacrum, declaring that, in the “principal church of every town and village,” the faithful of the whole world should be solemnly consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Leo desired that the unified devotion of the Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus would be a powerful reminder, to the faithful themselves and the world at large, of Christ’s kingship over all creation – a kingship he holds both by right as the Son of God and by virtue of the terrible price he paid to redeem it.
Also among the reasons given by Pope Leo for exhorting the Church to this consecration was his abiding concern over rising godlessness, particularly among Christian nations. He saw religion being increasingly excluded from public life, a “sort of wall being raised between the Church and civil society.”
Such disregard for the authority of sacred and divine law in public life, Leo wrote, “almost tends to the removal of the Christian faith from our midst, and, if that were possible, of the banishment of God Himself from the earth.” He went on to describe a state of affairs which bears an uncanny resemblance to our own turbulent and anxious times:
When men’s minds are raised to such a height of insolent pride, what wonder is it that the greater part of the human race should have fallen into such disquiet of mind and be buffeted by waves so rough that no one is suffered to be free from anxiety and peril? When religion is once discarded it follows of necessity that the surest foundations of the public welfare must give way, whilst God, to inflict on His enemies the punishment they so richly deserve, has left them the prey of their own evil desires, so that they give themselves up to their passions and finally wear themselves out by excess of liberty.
This is one of the great themes, perhaps the great theme, of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII. When man, in his pride, attempts to “free” himself from God, he instead becomes a slave to his passions. When man forgets God, he loses sight of himself.
Pope John Paul II would sum up the Leonine position, almost a century later, “freedom which refused to be bound to the truth would fall into arbitrariness and end up submitting itself to the vilest of passions, to the point of self-destruction.”
It is not difficult to hear in those prescient words of Pope Leo, the echo of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. “Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever.”
This is the same story of prideful rebellion we discover throughout salvation – from the stiff-necked Israelites rebelling in the desert, to the tower of Babel, to the Fall itself, when Adam and Eve were promised their disobedience would make them like gods.
This is the story of the human race, in its exasperating simplicity and stubborn stupidity: Tempted in our pride to be like gods, we rebel against God, who created us to be like Himself.
And yet, for all that, “the Son of God became man so that we might become God,” in St. Athanasius’ famous phrase.
For this reason, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is no less worthy and important in our own day than it was in 17th-century France, or the Middle Ages, or at the foot of Calvary. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the perfect antidote to the pride in our hearts. God loves us with a human heart so that might learn to share in his divine love.
“In that Sacred Heart all our hopes should be placed,” Pope Leo wrote, “and from it the salvation of men is to be confidently besought.”
In the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we discover the humility of God that overwhelms and destroys pride. In his Sacred and Suffering Heart, our own hearts are moved to contrition. In his Sacred Heart, our own selfishness is burned away in the consuming fire of his love and mercy. In his Sacred Heart, we encounter the love that created, ordered, and sustains all things. In His Sacred Heart, we find the strength and grace to love as he loves.
In the apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Jesus gives these twelve promises for those who are devoted to His Sacred Heart.
I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
I will establish peace in their families.
I will console them in all their troubles.
They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of their death.
I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
Sinners shall find in My Heart the source of an infinite ocean of mercy.
Tepid souls shall become fervent.
Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
I will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.
Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced.
The all-powerful love of My Heart 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 their Sacraments; My heart shall be their assured refuge at that last hour.
(With excerpts from Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy)
Understood in the light of the Scriptures, the term “Sacred Heart of Jesus” denotes the entire mystery of Christ, the totality of his being, and his person considered in its most intimate essential: Son of God, uncreated wisdom; infinite charity, principal of the salvation and sanctification of mankind. The “Sacred Heart” is Christ, the Word Incarnate, Saviour, intrinsically containing, in the Spirit, an infinite divine-human love for the Father and for his brothers.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a wonderful historical expression of the Church’s piety for Christ, her Spouse and Lord: it calls for a fundamental attitude of conversion and reparation, of love and gratitude, apostolic commitment and dedication to Christ and his saving work.
A SHORT ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART
Sacred Heart of Jesus, filled with infinite love, broken by my ingratitude, pierced by my sins, yet loving me still, accept the consecration which I make to you, of all that I am and all that I have.
Take every faculty of my soul and body, and draw me, day by day, nearer and nearer to your sacred side. There, as I can hear the lesson, teach me your blessed ways. Amen
THE LITANY
Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy
God our Father in heaven have, mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, Son of the eternal Father, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, one with the eternal Word, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, infinite in majesty, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, aflame with love for us, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, source of justice and love, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, well-spring of all virtue, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, patient and full of mercy, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, generous to all who turn to you, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, source of healing, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, sharer in our sorrow, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, safe-guarder of the vulnerable, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, friend of the betrayed, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, companion of the ignored, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, face of the misjudged, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, memory of the disbelieved, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, true voice in the silence, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, wounded by our failings, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, bearer of our sufferings, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, acquainted with grief, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, atonement for our sins, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with insults, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, broken for our sins, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, obedient even to death, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, pierced by a lance, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, salvation of all who trust in you, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, hope of all who die in you, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Jesus, gentle and humble of heart.
Touch our hearts and make them like your own.
LET US PRAY:
Father, we honour the heart of your Son
broken by man’s cruelty, yet symbol of love’s triumph,
pledge of all that man is called to be.
Teach us to see Christ in the lives we touch, to offer him living worship
by love-filled service to our brothers and sisters.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord
Amen
LET US PRAY:
Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers Thee in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen
JUNE DEVOTIONALS:
JUNE 1 – PROMISE #152
My love is everlasting and My faithfulness extends to all generations.
Psalm 100:5
JUNE 2 – PROMISE #153
My righteousness towers like the mountains and My justice goes deep as the sea. Psalm 36:6
JUNE 3 – PROMISE #154
My Word will not return to Me until it accomplishes what I intended. Isaiah 55:10-11
JUNE 4 – PROMISE #155
When I open My hand, I provide for all that I created. Psalm 145:16
JUNE 5 – PROMISE #156
I love you as deeply as a father loves his children. Psalm 103:13
JUNE 6 – PROMISE #157
I will not abandon you, for I am glad to make you My very own. 1 Samuel 12:22
JUNE 7 – PROMISE #158
My loving kindness is more precious than life. Psalm 63:3
JUNE 8 – PROMISE #159
I made you holy by the once for all sacrifice of My Son, Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 10:10
JUNE 9 – PROMISE #160
I have removed your sins from you as far as the east is from the west.
Psalm 103:12
JUNE 10 – PROMISE #161
You can enjoy freedom because Christ has set you free. Galatians 5:1
JUNE 11 – PROMISE #162
I have anointed you with My Spirit as a down payment of what is yet to come.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
JUNE 12 – PROMISE #163
Every good gift that you receive comes directly from My hand. James 1:17
JUNE 13 – PROMISE #164
Nothing will be impossible for those who have even a little faith.
Matthew 17:19-20
JUNE 14 – PROMISE #165
Call out to Me and I will show you wonderful things you do not know.
Jeremiah 33:3
JUNE 15 – PROMISE #166
I will reveal My secrets to those who fear Me. Psalm 25:14
JUNE 16 – PROMISE #167
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20
JUNE 17 – PROMISE #168
When you walk through the fires of adversity, you will not be burned.
Isaiah 43:2
JUNE 18 – PROMISE #169
No weapon created for your harm will succeed against you. Isaiah 54:17
JUNE 19 – PROMISE #170
I will give you a garment of praise in exchange for your spirit of heaviness.
Isaiah 61:3
JUNE 20 – PROMISE #171
My Spirit will rest on you when you suffer for Christ’s sake.
1 Peter 4:14
JUNE 21 – PROMISE #172
My goodness will lead you to a change of heart. Romans 2:4
JUNE 22 – PROMISE #173
I will bless the peacemakers and call them My children. Matthew 5:9
JUNE 23 – PROMISE #174
I will protect the fatherless, and widows can trust in Me. Jeremiah 49:11
JUNE 24 – PROMISE #175
I will provide justice for everyone who is mistreated. Psalm 103:6
JUNE 25 – PROMISE #176
My name is a strong tower that you can run to and find safety.
Proverbs 18:10
JUNE 26 – PROMISE #177
When you leave your body, you will be at home in My presence. 2 Corinthians 5:8
JUNE 27 – PROMISE #178
The world and its passions will disappear, but those who do My will shall live forever. 1 John 2:17
JUNE 28 – PROMISE #179
I will rescue you from evil and safely deliver you into My kingdom.
2 Timothy 4:18
JUNE 29 – PROMISE #180
There is a crown of righteousness waiting for everyone who loves My Son.
2 Timothy 4:8
JUNE 30 – PROMISE #181
If you persist and do My will, you will receive what I have promised.
Hebrews 10:36
Excerpts: thecatholicthing, 365 Promises of God
FIRST FRIDAY ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Thee I consecrate and offer up my person and my life, my actions, trials, and sufferings, that my entire being may henceforth only be employed in loving, honoring and glorifying Thee. This is my irrevocable will, to belong entirely to Thee, and to do all for Thy love, renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease Thee.
I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death.
Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness.
Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee. Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee.
I beseech Thee, through Thine infinite Goodness, grant that my name be engraved upon Thy Heart, for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants. Amen.
O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
