FIRST FRIDAY DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH

FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH IS DEDICATED TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS.

PRAYER OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART

Most sweet Jesus, redeemer of the human race, look down upon us, humbly prostrate before your altar. We are yours and yours we wish to be; but to be more surely united with you, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to your most sacred heart. Many, indeed, have never known you, many too, despising your precepts, have rejected you. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to your sacred heart.

Be king, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken you, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned you; grant that they may quickly return to their father’s house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger. Be king of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one shepherd.

Grant, O Lord, to your Church, assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the divine heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor forever. Amen.
(By Pope Leo XIII, Issued with the Encyclical Letter Annum Sacrum, 25 May 1899)

FIRST FRIDAY DEVOTION

Those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday of the month and who assist at the public exercises in honor of the Sacred Heart, may gain: A plenary indulgence with the addition of Confession, Communion and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father.
.
Those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday, and recite privately some prayers in reparation for the injuries against the Sacred Heart, may gain: A plenary indulgence under the usual conditions. If, moreover, a public service is held, this latter indulgence can be gained only by those who are lawfully prevented from assisting at such a service.
.
Those who recite devout prayers of reparation on other Fridays of the year, may gain: An indulgence of 7 years once on each Friday.
.
Raccolta No. 252.

Jesus made the following 12 promises to St. Margaret Mary in favor of those who consecrate to the Sacred Heart, in a spirit of reparation, the First Friday of each month.

1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
2. I will establish peace in their homes.
3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
4. I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death.
5. I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.
6. Sinners will find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
9. I will bless every place in which an image of My Heart is exposed and honored.
10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart.
12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in My disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

The Church grants a plenary indulgence to those who attend Mass and receive holy communion in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the First Friday of each month for nine (9) consecutive months.

First Friday Devotion Prayers
Prayers recommended in the First Friday Devotion.

Litany of The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Act of Reparation to The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Memorare to The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Prayer of Adoration and Love to The Sacred Heart
Prayer of Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament
Prayer of Trust in the Sacred Heart
Prayer of Consecration.

Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of 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, obedient to death, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, pierced with 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 our reconciliation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the Saints, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord.

V. Jesus, meek and humble of heart.
R. Make our hearts like to Thine.

Let us pray.

Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Your most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers You in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Your mercy, in Your great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen.

For your bitter sadness at the loss of souls, we will console you, O Lord.
For your long waiting at the door of our hearts, we will console you, O Lord.
For the heartless scorn that grieves you, we will console you, O Lord.
For your loving sighs, we will console you, O Lord.
For your loving tears, we will console you, O Lord.
For your loving imprisonment, we will console you, O Lord.
For your loving death, we will console you, O Lord.

Let us pray: O Jesus! Divine Savior, from whose Heart comes forth this bitter complaint, “I looked for one that would comfort me, and I found none,” graciously accept the feeble consolation we offer You, and aid us so powerfully by Your grace, that we may, for the time to come, shun more and more all that can displease You, and prove ourselves in everything, and everywhere, and forever Your most faithful and devoted servants. We ask it through Your Sacred Heart, O Lord, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Memorare to The Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Remember, O most kind Jesus, that none who have had recourse to Your Sacred Heart, implored its assistance, or called for mercy, have ever been abandoned. Filled, and animated by this same confidence, O divine Heart, Ruler of all hearts, I fly to You, and oppressed beneath the weight of my sins, I prostrate myself before You. Despise not Your unworthy child, but grant me, I pray, an entrance into Your Sacred Heart. Sustain me in all my combats and be with me now, and at all times, but especially in the hour of my death. O gracious Jesus! O amiable Jesus! O loving Jesus! Amen.

Prayer of Adoration and Love to the Sacred Heart

I adore Thee, I love Thee, I praise Thee, I cry to Thee for mercy, I return Thee thanks, I invoke Thee and confide myself entirely to Thee, O most holy and adorable Heart of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who for the salvation of us all didst submit Thyself to the rigors of Divine Justice, and didst voluntarily accept a birth accompanied with poverty, sorrow and contempt, a life of labor and contradictions, but of kindness for all, and a death full of opprobrium, confusion and sorrow, and who, in fine, for the love of those who wish to be saved through Thy divine charity, dost remain in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar to the end of time. Accomplish, O most adorable Heart, Thy wishes in my poor and miserable heart, which I dedicate and consecrate to Thee forever. Grant that it may live in the sentiments of love and gratitude which it owes Thee, that it may at all times breathe only Thy honor and glory, in order that it may expire in the waters of perfect contrition. Amen.

Prayer of Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament

Jesus Christ, my Lord and my God, Whom I believe to be really present in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, receive this most profound act of adoration to supply for the desire I have to adore Thee unceasingly, and in thanksgiving for the sentiments of love which Thy sacred Heart has for me in this sacrament. I cannot better acknowledge them than by offering Thee all the acts of adoration, resignation, patience, and love which this same Heart has made during its mortal life, and which it makes still and which it shall make eternally in heaven, in order that through it I may love Thee, praise Thee, and adore Thee worthily as much as it is possible for me. I unite myself to this divine offering which Thou dost make to Thy divine Father, and I consecrate to Thee my whole being, praying Thee to destroy in me all sin and not to permit that I should be separated from Thee eternally. Amen.

Prayer of Trust in The Sacred Heart

In all my temptations, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my weaknesses, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my difficulties, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my trials, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my sorrows, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my work, I place my trust in You, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In every failure, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In every discouragement, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In life and in death, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In time and in eternity, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Prayer of Consecration

I, _______, give myself to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I consecrate to Him my person and my life, my actions, pains, and sufferings, so that henceforth I shall be unwilling to make use of any part of my being except for the honor, love, and glory of the Sacred Heart.

My unchanging purpose is to be all His and to do all things for the love of Him while renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him.

I take you, O Sacred Heart, as the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, the assurance of my salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all my faults, and the sure refugee at my death.

O Heart of love, I place all my trust in You, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty.

Consume in me all that can displease You or resist Your holy Will. Let Your pure love imprint You so deeply upon my heart that I shall nevermore be able to forget You or be separated from You. May I obtain from all Your loving kindness the grace of having my name written in You, for I desire to place in You all my happiness and all my glory, living and dying in virtual bondage to You.

O MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS, PRAY US!