In this month of June dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus by the Catholic Church, let us make or renew our Consecration to that most loving and adorable Heart. Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a sure means of sanctification and salvation, a very consoling devotion, a pledge of perfection to the just, a promise of mercy for sinners, blessings, grace and every abundance for all.
Our Lord Jesus made great and almost incredible Promises to nations, communities, individuals and families? Do you desire peace to reign in your family? Harmony in our country? Love in our communities? Happiness in your life? Then, dear reader, consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart, and you will have Life, and have it abundantly, just as Our Lord has promised in the Gospel (Jn 10:10).
Let us look at His Promises:
(i) To Individuals: “He promised to pour out into the hearts of all those who honor the image of His Heart all the gifts which It contains. He promised also to imprint His love on the hearts of all those who would wear this image on their persons, and that He would destroy in them all disordered movements.”
(ii) To communities: “He promised that He would pour out the sweet unction of His ardent charity on all those communities in which this divine image would be honored; that He would turn away from them the thunderbolts of the just anger of God, and that He would restore them to His grace, if they should have the misfortune to fall into sin.”
(iii) To families: “Our Divine Lord assured me that He takes a singular pleasure in being honored under the figure of His Heart of flesh, the image of which He wishes to be exposed in public in order to touch the unfeeling hearts of men. He promised that He would pour out in abundance into the hearts of all those who would honor His Heart all the gifts with which It is filled, and that everywhere this image is exposed and honored, it would draw down all kinds of blessings.”
(iv) To nations: “. . . Our Divine Lord does not wish to stop there: He desires, it seems to me, to enter with pomp and magnificence into the houses of princes and kings, in order to be honored there as much as He was outraged, despised and humiliated in His Passion, and to receive as much pleasure at seeing the great ones of this world abased and humiliated before Him, as He felt bitterness at seeing Himself annihilated at their feet.”
In the Bible, it is prophesied of Our Lord Jesus, “Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.” (Isa 49:7). Do we not desire to give our King this Glory? By adoring and worshiping Him, we take away His Sorrows.
Our Lord was the King of Sorrows when He walked upon Earth, the Suffering Servant of His Father, the Lamb of God Who made propitiation for every sin. Let us recompense His Heart for such Infinite Love, by loving Him in return.
Specific Blessings promised for special circumstances to all individuals:
I) Consecration to the Sacred Heart terrifies the devil: “Let us renew often our consecration to the Heart of Jesus,” writes St. Margaret Mary, “and let us live that consecration faithfully. The Sacred Heart takes a singular pleasure in it.”The devil has a most intense fear of the devotion to this loving Heart, because of the salvation of the multitude of souls which it effects in favor of those who consecrate themselves completely to the Sacred Heart for the purpose of loving It, honoring It, and glorifying It.”
II) Consecration to the Sacred Heart prevents mortal sin: “”I cannot believe,” writes St. Margaret Mary, “that those consecrated to the Heart of Jesus will fall under the domination of Satan through mortal sin, if having consecrated themselves to the Heart of Jesus, they endeavor to honor It, love It, and glorify It, by conforming themselves in all things to Its holy maxims.” Are we tempted? By Consecration, we shall overcome.
III) Consecration is a Sure Guarantee of Attaining Perfection: “There is no surer means of attaining perfection than to be consecrated to the Heart of Jesus. If therefore, we wish to attain that perfection which the adorable Heart of Jesus desires of us, we must make an entire sacrifice of ourselves, and of everything that depends on us, to the Sacred Heart and live entirely for It.” Are we already happily pursuing perfection in our lives, by the Grace of God? The Sacred Heart is a sure means to that end.
IV) Consecration brings Peace to families and nations: “Establish your dwelling in the amiable Heart of Jesus, and you will find unalterable peace, strength to carry out all your good desires, and a protection against voluntary faults.” Peace? We will find all in the Heart of Jesus.
V) Our Lord pours the greatest graces on souls dear to His Heart: “Our Lord gave me to understand that He wishes to be known, loved and adored by men, and for that end He would give them many graces, provided they consecrated themselves to the devotion and love of His Sacred Heart.”
VI) Our Lord Promises Salvation to His Heart’s devotees: “There is no surer means of salvation than to consecrate oneself to the Divine Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ. “The loving Heart of Jesus will not allow any of those consecrated to It to perish, so great is His desire that His Sacred Heart be known, loved and honored by His creatures. In this Sacred Heart they will find assistance during their life in all their necessities; It will be their secure place of refuge at the hour of their death, into which they will be received and protected from their enemies.” No one can harm us when our safe and sure refuge is Our Lord’s Sacred Heart!
Nishant Xavier lives in Chennai, India. He works in investment banking. He has a great desire that India will be blessed and enriched with the wealth and treasures of the Gospel and the Sacraments. He wishes to work for the uplift of the poor and so that India may become the most advanced, prosperous and successful nation in the world. You can reach out to him anytime with questions or thoughts on [email protected]