Saint Margaret Mary (1647 – 1690) was born in 1647
in Burgundy, France. She was sent to the Poor Clares’ school at
Charolles on the death of her father when she was eight. She was
bedridden for five years with rheumatic fever until she was fifteen. She
developed a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She refused
marriage and in 1671 entered the Sisters of the Visitation convent at
Paray-le-Monial. From the time she was twenty, she experienced visions
of Christ, and on December 27, 1673, she experienced a series of
mystical revelations that continued over the next year and a half. In
them Christ appeared to her and informed her she was his chosen
instrument to spread devotion to his Sacred Heart. He instructed her in a
devotion that became known as the Nine First Fridays and the Holy Hour.
He asked that the “Feast of the Sacred Heart” be established and made
twelve promises to those devoted to his Sacred Heart.
Initially rebuffed by her superior, Margaret Mary eventually won her
over, but was unable to convince a group of theologians of the validity
of her apparitions. She received the support of Blessed Claud La
Colombiere, the community’s confessor for a time, who declared that the
visions were genuine. She later became novice mistress and saw the
convent observe the feast of the Sacred Heart privately beginning in
1686. Two years later a chapel was built at Paray-le-Monial to honor the
Sacred Heart of Jesus. Observation of the feast soon spread to other
Visitandine convents and around the world. Margaret Mary died at
Paray-le-Monial on October 17, 1690 at age 43. The devotion was
officially recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765. She
was canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920.
We must know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge
"It seems to me that our Lord’s earnest desire to have his Sacred
Heart honored in a special way is directed toward renewing the effects
of redemption in our souls. For the Sacred Heart is an inexhaustible
fountain and its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of
the humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives according
to his good pleasure.
From this divine heart three streams flow endlessly. The first is the
stream of mercy for sinners; it pours into their hearts sentiments of
contrition and repentance. The second is the stream of charity which
helps all in need and especially aids those seeking perfection to find
the means of surmounting their difficulties. From the third stream flow
love and light for the benefit of his friends who have attained
perfection; these he wishes to unite to himself so that they may share
his knowledge and commandments and, in their individual ways, devote
themselves wholly to advancing his glory.
This divine heart is an abyss of all blessings, and into it the poor
should submerge all their needs. It is an abyss of joy in which all of
us can immerse our sorrows. It is an abyss of lowliness to counteract
our foolishness, an abyss of mercy for the wretched, an abyss of love to
meet our every need.
Therefore, you must unite yourselves to the heart of our Lord Jesus
Christ, both at the beginning of your conversion in order to obtain
proper dispositions, and at its end in order to make reparation. Are you
making no progress in prayer? Then you need only offer God the prayers
which the Savior has poured out for us in the sacrament of the altar.
Offer God his fervent love in reparation for your sluggishness. In the
course of every activity pray as follows: “My God, I do this or I endure
that in the heart of your Son and according to his holy counsels. I
offer it to you in reparation for anything blameworthy or imperfect in
my actions.” Continue to do this in every circumstance of life. And
every time that some punishment, affliction or injustice comes your way,
say to yourself: “Accept this as sent to you by the Sacred Heart of
Jesus Christ in order to unite yourself to him.”
But above all preserve peace of heart. This is more valuable than any
treasure. In order to preserve it there is nothing more useful than
renouncing your own will and substituting for it the will of the divine
heart. In this way his will can carry out for us whatever contributes to
his glory, and we will be happy to be his subjects and to trust
entirely in him." Source: The liturgy of the Hours – Office of Readings
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