Yesterday was St. Margaret Mary’s feast day. It is believed in tradition that the first saint who saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus was St. Margaret Mary Alacoque on December 27, 1673. Not even the Mother of God saw the Heart of Jesus, even though she felt His Heart and was united to His Heart by her immaculate love.
I had the great joy of visiting her tomb at the Monastery of the Visitation at Paray-leMonial, France where the private revelations occurred. This is by far one of the most beautiful shrines that I have ever visited.
How providential it was for Jesus to reveal Himself to her on December 27th, the Feast of St. John the Apostle. St. John was the beloved disciple who leaned on the side of Jesus at the Last Supper. That profound encounter with Jesus led him to go to weep at Calvary on Good Friday with the Blessed Mother and St. Mary Magdalen.
On June 24, 2022, a Sung Evening Mass will be offered on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament into the night. I know this is way into the future, but it’s worth announcing it to you now. It truly touches my heart to see more people at Mass and more people going to confession on the first Friday of the month in honor of the Sacred Heart. Keep it up!
As the Memorial of St. Margaret Mary is forever connected to the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, so is the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Heart of Jesus is the Eucharist. When we mediate on the Heart of Jesus, we are contemplating the love of Christ. His Heart which is the love of God has suffered so much for us. Let us return that love back to Jesus in the Holy Mass and in the witness of our Christian discipleship.
In Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Jeff Yildirmaz
