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In What Does the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Consist?
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus became widespread as a result of the revelations Our Lord made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, towards the end of the seventeenth century. Through her, He made twelve promises to those who should practice the devotion to His Sacred Heart.
- Among the twelve promises of Our Lord in favor of the devotees of His Heart is: "I promise in the excess of the mercy of My Heart, that its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Communion on the first Friday of every month for nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance, and that they shall not die under My displeasure, nor without the sacraments, and that My Heart shall be their secure refuge at that last hour.
- The First Friday devotion arose from this promise of Our Lord, especially the devotion of the nine First Fridays. When we venerate the Sacred Heart, we should remember His great love for us, flowing out of that Heart, and try to make some return for that love.
- In order to make this devotion of the nine First Fridays well, we should make a good confession if necessary and receive Holy Communion, in reparation to the Sacred Heart.
The Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
- I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
- I will establish peace in their homes.
- I will comfort them in their afflictions.
- I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death.
- I will bless all their undertakings."
- Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.
- "Tepid souls shall grow fervent.
- Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
- I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored.
- I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
- Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.
- I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."
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The Five First Saturdays Requested by Our Lady of Fatima
During her July apparition at Fatima, Our Lady said to Lucia, "I shall come to ask...that on the First Saturday of every month, Communions of reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the world." Although she made no further mention of this devotion at Fatima, on December 10, 1925, our Blessed Mother again appeared to Lucia at Pentevedra, Spain. It was there that Our Lady completed her request for the Five First Saturdays and gave her great promise.
Appearing with the Queen of Heaven in that apparition was the Infant Jesus, Who said to Lucia: "Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation."
Our Lady then spoke: "See, my daughter, my Heart encircled by thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. Do you, at least, strive to console me. Tell them that I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, in order to make reparation to me, on the First Saturday of five successive months, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for a quarter of an hour, meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary."
The elements of this devotion, therefore, consist of the following four points, all of which must be offered in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. One should make this intention before carrying out Our Lady's requests.
1. Confession:
This confession can be made before the First Saturday or afterward, provided that Holy Communion be received in the state of grace. Confession can be made one week before or one week after the Communion. It should be offered in reparation.
2. Holy Communion:
Before receiving Holy Communion, it is likewise necessary to offer it in reparation to Our Lady. Our Lord told Lucia in 1930, "This Communion will be accepted on the following Sunday for just reasons, if my priests allow it so." So if work or school, sickness, or another just reason prevents the Communion on a First Saturday, with this permission it may be received the following Sunday. If Communion is transferred, any or all of the other acts of the devotion may also be perfomed on Sunday if the person so desires.
3. Rosary:
The Rosary is a vocal prayer said while meditating upon the mysteries of Our Lord's life and Passion and Our Lady's life. To comply with the request of our Blessed Mother, it must be offered in reparation and said properly while meditating.
4. Fifteen minute meditation:
Also offered in reparation, the meditation may embrace one or more mysteries; it may include all, taken together or separately. This meditation should be the richest of any meditation, because Our Lady promised to be present when she said "...those who keep me company..."
To those who faithfully follow Our Lady's requests for the Five First Saturdays, she has made a wonderful promise which she, as Mediatrix of All Graces, will certainly fulfill: "I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation." This means that our Blessed Mother will be present at the hour of death with the actual grace of final perseverance (which after the gift/grace of Faith), is the most important grace.
After completing the Five First Saturdays, one may continue the devotion simply to console the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady. A tender love of our Blessed Mother will lead one to do all he can to make reparation for the sins which pierce her Immaculate Heart. Let us remember, too, that although Our Lady made this promise to those who would observe five such First Saturdays in succession, in her July apparition she asked simply that Communions of reparation be made on every First Saturday to atone for the sins of the world.