Traditional Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

June 27 is the historical feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.  The devotion to the Blessed Virgin under this title stems from a miraculous image painted in the thirteenth century in Crete.  At one point the painting was stolen by a merchant, who brought it to Rome.  On his deathbed he asked a local Roman to place it in a church where it could be venerated by many people.  The Roman and his wife decided to keep the painting instead.

Our Mother Mary appeared to the Roman's six-year old daughter, asking her to take the icon to St. Matthew's Church; the family then obeyed.  This miraculous image remained in the Church of St. Matthew for nearly 300 years where many graces were obtained through our Lady's intercession.  However, in 1798 Napoleon invaded Rome and ordered the destruction of the churches.  At this time in history, the icon disappeared.

Nearly half a century later a young altar boy was told by an old religious sacristan that the old image hanging in their chapel had been  rescued from destruction; it once hung in St. Matthew's Church.  He wanted the boy to remember, so the story would not be lost.  Later that same boy became a Redemptorist in Rome.  When the order took over St. Matthew's Church, which was now in ruins, the Redemptorists read of a beautiful, old icon that once hung in the church.  The former altar boy remembered the sacristan's story, and he and the other Redemptorists appealed to Pope Pius IX for permission to restore the image to the grounds of St. Matthew Church as Mary had originally wished.  The pope, who had prayed before the image in St. Matthew's as a boy agreed to their request, but with St. Matthew Church in ruins, the icon was placed in the newly built church of the Holy Redeemer and St. Alphonsus, which was located near the old church grounds.  Pope Pius IX gave the Redemptorist Order as their mission to spread devotion to the icon and Mary under the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The icon depicts our Lady with a loving, but sorrowful, gaze upon us, encouraging us to ponder her Son and His passion.  In this image she is also known as Virgin of the Passion.  The Greek letters above her tell us she is the Mother of God, while the other Greek letters reveal the names of Baby Jesus, St. Michael, and St. Gabriel.  The Christ Child's gaze is resting upon something in the distance that has made Him afraid.  One sandal is slipping off as He hastily went to His Mother for protection.  He is also gripping her thumb with both hands for comfort and safety.  What did our Lord see that frightened Him so?  His gazed recognized His future Passion, His Sufferings for our redemption.  The angels also reveal His Passion; St. Michael holds the lance, the urn filled with gall, and the reed and sponge.  St. Gabriel carries a cross and four nails.

Just as our Lord in this image sought His Mother and clung to her for protection, may we also imitate Him.  May we turn to our Lady in all our needs, with love and devotion, trusting her to protect us and guide us to her Son.  May we ponder this beautiful image of our Lady of Perpetual Help, remembering our Lord's Passion and Mary's sorrows all done out of love for us.  The prayer below invokes Mary under this title, begging her for help and showering her with words of devotion.

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Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour 

O Mother of Perpetual Succour, grant that I may always invoke thy most powerful name, for thy name is help in life, salvation in death. Ah, Mary most pure, Mary most sweet, let thy name henceforth be the breath of my life. Tarry not, O Lady, to come to my succour, whenever I call upon thee, for in all the wants which shall befall me, I wilt never cease to call upon thee, and to repeat again and again: Mary, Mary! 

What comfort, what sweetness, what confidence, what tenderness, does my soul feel in the mere mention of thy name, in the very thought of thee! I thank the Lord for having given thee, for my good, this name so sweet, so amiable, so powerful. But merely to pronounce thy name is not enough for me. I wish to do so out of love: I wish that love may remind me to call thee always, Mother of Perpetual Succour. Amen. 

Pater Noster … Ave Maria … Gloria Patri (For the intentions of the Holy Father)

God bless!

+JMJ+

Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

At Fatima, our Lady told the three children, “Do not offend the Lord our God anymore, because He is already so much offended.”  These words greatly affected the children, making them realize how sad sins makes our Lord, and they vowed to pray, make reparation, and work to sin no more.  We, too, should heed the words of our Lady, making reparation to Our Lord's Sacred Heart for the indifference, scorn, contempt, and hatred that He is given by those who call themselves His children.

Prayer of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Adorable Heart of Jesus, glowing with Love for us and inflamed with zeal for our salvation. O Heart that understands the misery to which our sins have brought us, infinitely rich in Mercy to heal the wounds of our souls, behold me humbly kneeling before Thee to express the sorrow that fills my heart for the coldness and indifference with which I have so long returned the numberless benefits which Thou hast bestowed upon me.

With a deep sense of the outrages that have been heaped upon Thee by my sins and the sins of others, I wish to make reparation to Thy most Sacred Majesty. It was our sins that filled Thy Heart with bitterness; it was the weight of our guilt that pressed down Thy Face to the earth in the Garden of Olives and caused Thee to die in agony on the Cross. But now, repentant and sorrowful, I implore Thy forgiveness.

Adorable Heart of Jesus, Source of true consolation and ever merciful to the penitent sinner, impart to our hearts the spirit of penance that we may be sincerely sorry for our sins. Pardon them, O Lord, in Thy Mercy, and let all who have sinned against Thee in the Sacrament of Thy love be converted and return unto Thee. Deliver us from our sins. And in order to repair the sins of ingratitude by which we have grieved Thy most tender and loving Heart, may we love and honour Thee in the most adorable Sacrament of the Altar, where Thou art present to hear and grant our petitions and to be the food and life of our souls.

Merciful Jesus, be our Mediator with Thy Heavenly Father, Whom we have so grievously offended. Help us to amend our ways. As Thy Sacred Heart is our refuge and our hope when we have sinned, so let it be the strength and support of our repentance, and nothing in life or death shall ever separate us from Thee. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Little Chaplet of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Jesus spoke to St. Margaret Mary, saying, "Behold this Heart, which has so loved men, as that it has spared nothing, even to the exhausting and wearing itself out, in order to show them its love; and instead of acknowledgment I receive, from the greater number, nothing but ingratitude, by their irreverences and sacrileges, and by the coldness and contempt wherewith they treat Me, in this Sacrament of love."  

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Holy Mother Church especially honors our Lord under the title of the Sacred Heart with a feast day on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi, which took place last Friday.  The Sacred Heart of Jesus is also honored throughout the month of June.  With the words of our Lord to St. Margaret before us, may we strive throughout this month and always to love our Lord with our whole being, offering Him adoration and thanksgiving for His love and sacrifice for us. We can honor our Lord through prayers, enthronement of His Image in our homes, and fulfilling the First Friday devotion.  Our Lord yearns to give us His Heart, waiting in silence for us to give ourselves in return. St. Margaret Mary spoke of our Lord's Sacred Heart, saying, "This divine heart is an abyss filled with 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."

Little Chaplet of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Composed by St. Gertrude

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

1. O My most loving Jesus! when I meditate upon Thy Sacred Heart, and behold it full of mercy and tenderness for us poor sinners, my own heart leaps for joy and is filled with trust and confidence that Thou wilt graciously accept it. Alas! how many and how great my sins! But I now bewail and detest them all with Peter and Magdalen, because they offend Thee, the highest good. Grant me, O grant me, a full and entire forgiveness! And this I entreat Thee, for the sake of Thy Sacred Heart. May I rather die than offend Thee again, yes, grant me rather to die than sin against Thee anymore! May I live only to return Thy love, now and forever and ever. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

2. My Jesus, I praise and bless Thy, most humble Heart, and I thank Thee that Thou hast given it to me as a model, and that not alone Thou dost urge me by earnest pleadings to imitate it, but that by the many humiliations Thou didst Thyself undergo, Thou hast prepared and smoothed the way for me. Foolish and ungrateful that I am! I have wandered far, far away from Thee! Forgive me, sweetest Lord, only forgive me! Pride and worldly honor will never tempt me again. With an heart through the furnace of humiliation, I will follow Thee, my Jesus, and strive for peace and salvation. Strengthen Thou me, O Lord, my God, and I will praise Thy Sacred Heart forever. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

3. My Jesus! I can but wonder at the marvelous patience of Thy Sacred Heart, and I thank Thee for the admirable examples of invincible long suffering which Thou hast set before us. I am sorry that on account of my great sensitiveness I still incur the reproach of not being able to bear the slightest pain. Ah, dear Jesus! pour into my heart an ardent and enduring love for suffering, for the cross, for mortification, for penance, that following Thee to the Mount of Calvary, I may with Thee attain to the glory and joys of Paradise. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

4. Dearest Jesus! I shudder at my own heart, when I place it beside Thine, which is all meekness, gentleness, and love. Mine is so unlike! A shadow, a gesture, a contradictory word, can, at any time make me restless and fretful. O pardon me the outbursts of my anger and impatience, and give me the grace for the future to follow the example of Thine unvaried meekness whenever I encounter a contradiction, that so I may at length enjoy a holy, everlasting peace. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

5. Our praises shall resound, O Jesus, to Thee, the conqueror of death and Hell! for to Thee all praise is due. I am more than ever overwhelmed with shame, when I consider my own coward heart, which dreads every untoward word or injurious taunt. It shall be so no more. Therefore, I beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus, for courage and strength, that by fighting and conquering self on earth, I may one day rejoice and triumph with Thee in Heaven. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

Let us now turn to Mary. consecrate ourselves more and more to her, and confiding in her maternal heart, say to her:  By the high privileges of thy sweetest Heart, we beg of thee, great Mother of God, and my mother, Mary! a true and lasting devotion to the Sacred Heart of thy Son Jesus, that bound in every thought and affection to that heart, I may fulfill all the duties of my state in life and serve Jesus faithfully, but especially this day.

O Saviour Heart! burning with love for me.
Inflame my languid heart with love for Thee.

Lord, I beseech Thee, let Thy Holy Spirit kindle within my heart that fire of love which our Lord Jesus Christ sent forth from the sanctuary of His Heart upon the earth, and which He so longingly desired should burn exceedingly: Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Saint John Eudes

Oh, how good and delightful it is to dwell in the Heart of Jesus!

Thy Heart, O good Jesus, is a precious treasure, a precious pearl

which we have found by digging the field of Thy Body.

Who will cast aside this pearl? Nay, rather I will give all I have,

I will exchange all my thoughts and desires and purchase it.

I will cast all my care on the Heart of the Lord Jesus and He will

provide for me without fail. I will adore in this temple,

this Holy of Holies, this Ark of the Testament, and I will praise the name

of the Lord, saying with David, "I have found my heart that I may pray

to my God. And I have found the heart of my King, my Brother, my Friend,

the benign Jesus, and why shall I not adore?" Assuredly I shall pray.

For His Heart is mine. I will say it boldly, for Christ is my Head,

is not what belongs to my Head mine? Therefore as the eyes of my corporal

head are truly my eyes, so is my spiritual heart my heart.

Therefore, it is well with me: truly I have but one Heart with Jesus

and what wonder that there should be but one heart with the multitude of believers.

God bless!

+JMJ+

In Honor of our Lord's Sacred Heart and Precious Blood

On the traditional calendar this Sunday is the external Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (June 28 is the actual feast day of our Lord's Sacred Heart in 2019.  The date of this feast always falls on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi.)  Immediately following on July 1, is the feast of the Precious Blood of Jesus.  With these two great devotions residing so near to one another, a fitting prayer to recite is the "Prayer to the Wounded Heart of Jesus."  This simple, but beautiful prayer honors our Lord's most Sacred Heart, while at the same time recognizing the infinite merit of the shedding of Jesus' most Precious Blood in relation to our salvation.  May we strive throughout July, the month dedicated to the Precious Blood, to offer sacrifices in reparations for our sins, for which He suffered and died

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Prayer to the Wounded Heart of Jesus

O my Most Loving and Gentle Jesus, I desire with all
the affections of my heart, that all beings created and
uncreated, should praise Thee, honor Thee and glorify
Thee eternally for that Sacred Wound wherewith Thy
Divine side was rent. I deposit, enclose, conceal in that
wound and in that opening in Thy Heart, my heart and
all my feelings, thoughts, desires, intentions
and all the faculties of my soul.
I entreat Thee, by the Precious Blood and Water that flowed
from Thy Most Loving Heart, to take entire possession of me,
that Thou may guide me in all things.

Consume me in the burning fire of Thy Holy Love,
so that I may be so absorbed and transformed
into Thee that I may no longer be but one
with Thee. Amen.

Salvéte Christi vúlnera

Salvéte, Christi vúlnera, Imménsi amóris pígnora Quibus perénnes rívuli Manant rubéntis sánguinis. Nitóre stellas víncitis Rosas odóre et bálsama, Prétio lapíllos Indicos, Mellis favos dulcédine. Per vos patet gratíssimum Nostris asylum méntibus; Non huc furor minántium Umquam penétrat hóstium. Quot Jesus in prætório Flagélla nudus éxcipit! Quot scissa pellis úndique Stillat cruóris gúttulas! Frontem venústam, proh dolor! Coróna pungit spínea, Clavi retúsa cúspide Pedes manúsque pérforant. Postquam sed ille trádidit Amans volénsque spíritum, Pectus ferítur láncea, Geminúsque liquor éxsilit. Ut plena sit redémptio, Sub torculári stríngitur; Suíque Jesus ímmemor, Sibi nil resérvat sánguinis. Veníte quotquot críminum Funésta labes ínficit; In hoc salútis bálneo Qui se lavat, mundábitur. Sequens Conclusio numquam mutátur. Summi ad Paréntis déxteram Sedénti habénda est grátia, Qui nos redémit sánguine, Sanctóque firmat Spíritu. Amen.

Hail, holy wounds of Jesus, hail, Sweet pledges of the saving Rood, Whence flow the streams that never fail, The purple streams of his dear Blood! Brighter than brightest stars ye shew; Than sweetest rose your scent more rare; No Indian gem may match your glow; Nor honey's taste with yours compare. Portals ye are to that dear home Wherein our wearied souls may hide, Whereto no angry foe can come, The Heart of Jesus crucified. What countless stripes our Jesus bore, All naked left in Pilate's hall! From his torn flesh how red a shower Did round his sacred person fall! O shame and woe! his comely head Was riven by a thorny crown; Upon the Cross, by woundings dread, His hands and feet were nailed down. But when for our poor sakes he died, A willing Priest by love subdued, And that sharp lance transfixed his side, Forth flowed the Water and the Blood. In full atonement of our guilt, Careless of self, the Saviour trod, E'en till his Heart's best Blood was spilt, The wine-press of the wrath of God. Come, bathe you in the healing flood, All ye who mourn, by sin oppressed; Your only hope is Jesus' Blood, His sacred Heart your only rest. This Ending is never changed. All praise to him, Eternal Son, At God's right hand enthroned above, Whose Blood our full redemption won, Whose Spirit seals the gift of love. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Imploring the Sacred Heart of Jesus for Mercy for the Souls in Purgatory

"Would that people knew with what eagerness the poor Souls in Purgatory ask for this new remedy which is so powerful to relieve their sufferings. They call the Devotion to the Sacred Heart the 'Sovereign remedy,' and ask particularly for Masses in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus."

--St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

In her devotion to the Sacred Heart, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque offered many prayers and sacrifices to the most sweet Heart of Jesus for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.  St. Margaret Mary had a great love for the Souls in Purgatory, and our Lord allowed her to communicate with them.  Jesus gave this great saint revelations about these souls and their suffering, allowing her to realize His great love for them and His desire for their deliverance from their suffering.  Out of love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Souls in Purgatory, St. Margaret Mary endured much suffering to gain their relief, ending their suffering and pleasing our Lord.  During this month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, may we also remember to pray and sacrifice for the Poor Souls in Purgatory, imploring the merciful Heart of our Lord to relieve their suffering as we offer our crosses, however small, for them.

Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

O Divine Heart of Jesus, grant I pray Thee, eternal rest to the Souls in Purgatory, the final grace to those who are about to die this day, true repentance to sinners, the light of faith to pagans, and Thy blessing to me and to all who are dear to me. To Thee, therefore, O Most Merciful Heart of Jesus, I commend all these souls, and in their behalf I offer unto Thee all Thy merits in union with the merits of Thy Most Blessed Mother and of all the Angels and Saints, together with all the Masses, Communions, prayers and good works which are this day being offered throughout Christendom.

O Most Holy Heart of Jesus, shower Thy blessings in abundant measure upon the Thy Holy Church, upon the Supreme Pontiff and upon all the clergy; to the just grant perseverance; convert sinners; enlighten unbelievers; bless our relations, friends and benefactors; assist the dying; deliver the Holy Souls in Purgatory; and extend over all hearts the sweet empire of Thy love. Amen.

"Behold the Heart which has so loved men, It has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love; and in return I receive, from the greater part, only ingratitude."

--Words of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

Saint Peter Eymard stated, "The life of Christ in the Eucharist is a life of love for His Father, to Whom He is incessantly offering His actions, His sacramental presence, His previous Passion now commemorated in the Mass. It is also a life of love for men who have to be saved. His Heart is the centre of all hearts."

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Holy Mother Church dedicates the month of June to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.  While the two major aspects of devotion to the Sacred Heart are reparation and confidence, another focus, often overlooked, is that of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, the Heart which loves with such love that He chooses to remain in all of the tabernacles of Catholic Churches throughout the world, waiting for us to visit Him, pray to Him, and love Him in return.  As Pope Benedict XV stated about this devotion to our Lord,

"...the Church wishes... the faithful to approach this sacred mystery with confidence, and to inflame their hearts with that divine charity which consumed the Sacred Heart of Jesus when, in His infinite love, He instituted the Most Holy Eucharist, wherein the Divine Heart guards and loves them by living with them, as they live and abide in Him. For in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist He offers and gives Himself to us as victim, companion, nourishment, viaticum, and pledge of our future glory."

During this month of our Lord, as we strive to make reparation for the sins committed against His most adorable Heart, may we also remember to give Him due honor and love by visiting Him and adoring Him in adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  May we always call to mind the Love that awaits for us in the tabernacle.  Let us draw near to His Sacred Heart, which is waiting in silence for us, and remain, listening out of love, in silence with Him.  The prayer that follows is a beautiful prayer to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.

Prayer to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, gracious companion of our exile, I adore You.  Eucharistic Heart of Jesus -- lonely Heart -- humiliated Heart -- abandoned Heart -- forgotten Heart -- despised Heart -- outraged Heart -- Heart ignored by men -- Heart which loves our own hearts -- Heart pleading for our love--Heart so patient in waiting for us--Heart so eager to listen to our prayers -- Heart so anxious for our requests -- Heart, welcome refuge of the hidden life -- Heart, teacher of the secrets of union with God -- Heart of Him who sleeps but watches always -- Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

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O Jesus Divine Victim, I desire to comfort You; I unite myself to You; I offer myself in union with You.  I regard myself as nothing in Your presence.  I long to forget myself in order to think only of You, to be despised and forgotten for love of You.  I have no desire to be understood or loved by anyone but You.  I will keep silent in order to listen to You, and I will abandon myself in order to lose myself in You.

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Grant that I may thus satisfy Your thirst for my salvation, Your burning thirst for my holiness, and that once purified I may give You a sincere and pure love.  I am anxious not to tire You further with waiting; take me, I hand myself over to You.  I give You all my actions, my mind to be enlightened, my heart to be directed, my will to be stabilized, my wretchedness to be relieved, my soul and body to be nourished by You.

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Eucharistic Heart of my Savior, whose blood is the life of my soul, may I myself cease to live and You alone live in me.  Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

On the Feast of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

The feast of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque traditionally is celebrated on October 17. As a child, St. Margaret Mary endured many hardships, but she remained devout in her faith and kind to everyone. At the age of twenty-two, St. Margaret Mary made her profession at the convent of the Visitation at Paray-le-Monial. The nuns of the Order of the Visitation, which was founded by St. Francis de Sales, were widely known for their humility and charity, both virtues of which St. Margaret Mary generously possessed. She also practiced severe penances throughout her life as a nun. After a few quiet years in the convent, St. Margaret Mary began receiving revelations from Our Lord Who informed her of His great desire to be loved by all men. He also wanted devotion to His Sacred Heart to be spread, making twelve promises to those who practiced a true devotion to his Sacred Heart. Through these revelations and her zeal and love for Our Lord, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread throughout the world. 

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St. Margaret Mary spoke of the Heart of our Lord, saying
"The Sacred Heart of Christ 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 in order 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 filled with 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."

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May we, like St. Margaret Mary, hold a place of honor for the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in our hearts, striving to love our Lord with our whole beings and to give our entire selves to Him.  A wonderful practice honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the devotion of the First Fridays.  You can read more about this devotion in this post.

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Prayer to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ

Place me, O my sweet Savior, in Thy Sacred Side, and in Thy adorable Heart which is a burning Furnace of pure love, and I shall be in safety. I hope, O my Jesus, My Sovereign Good, that Thou wilt bring me in thither, since I love Thee, not for the recompenses which Thou dost promise to those who love Thee, but purely for the love of Thyself. I love Thee above all things lovable, above everything good, above everything beautiful, above every pleasure, and in fine, above myself and everything that is outside of Thee, and I protest in the presence of Heaven and earth that I wish to live and die in Thy holy love, purely and simply, and that even if to love Thee in this manner, I must suffer persecution and torments and even endure death, I am quite content, and will say with St. Paul: "No creature shall ever be able to separate me from the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, whom I love and wish to love eternally."

O most amiable Heart, Thou art my strength, my support, my recompense, my safety, my refuge, my love and my all. O most holy Heart of Jesus, Heart most august, Master of all hearts, I love Thee, I adore Thee, I praise Thee; I thank Thee, I wish to be all Thine. O Heart of love, dwell with me and in me; govern me, save me, change me entirely into Thee. O most excellent and most Sacred Heart, the eternal enjoyment of which will be, without surfeit, the Source of enjoyment and the Recompense of the blessed, how desirable, how lovable Thou art! O Divine Heart, come to me, or draw me to Thee. O Heart most sublime, the Delight of Divinity! I salute Thee from exile where I am; I invoke Thee in my sorrow; I call on Thee as the remedy for my frailty. Oh! most merciful Heart, compassionate and generous Heart of my Father and my Savior, do not refuse Thy help to my unworthy heart, destroy in me the reign of sin and establish in me that of virtue in order that Thy image may be completely perfected in me and that it may one day be an ornament in Thy Heavenly palace. Amen.

--by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to Sts. Peter and Paul

In the following prayer we honor the two great Apostles Peter and Paul whose solemnity is June 29, and in many parts of the world it is a holy day of obligation. The veneration of the “Princes of Apostles” has its roots in the foundation of the Church. Together the two saints are the solid rock on which the Church was built, through their preaching, Peter to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles, and their martyrdom, both by the hand of Nero. One way to honor these great saints is the following prayer through which we ask for their intercession.

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Prayer to Sts. Peter and Paul

Holy Apostles Peter and Paul , I choose you this day and forever to be my special patrons and advocates; you blessed Saint Peter, Prince of the Apostles, because you are the Rock upon which Almighty God has build His Church; you blessed Saint Paul, because you were chosen by God as vessel of election and preacher of the truth to the whole world .

Obtain for me, I humbly pray you, lively faith, firm hope and burning love, complete detachment from myself, contempt of the world, patience in adversity, humility in prosperity, attention in prayer, purity of diligence in fulfilling the duties of my state of life, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the Will of God and perseverance in the Grace of God even unto death; so that by the means of your intercession and your glorious merits, I may be able to overcome the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and may be made worthy to appear before the chief and eternal Shepherd of souls, Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth for endless ages, to enjoy His presence and love Him forever. Amen.

--Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.


V. Thou shalt make them princes over all the earth,    R. They shall be mindful of Thy Name, O Lord.

Let us pray: O God, whose right hand raised up blessed Peter, when he walked upon the water and began to sink, and thrice delivered his fellow Apostle Paul from the depths of the sea when he suffered shipwreck graciously hear us and grant, by the merits of them both, that we also may attain unto everlasting glory Who livest and reignest world without end.   Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer for the Intercession of St. Josemaria Escriva

June 26 is the feast of St. Josemaria Escriva, a Spanish priest who was canonized in 2002. He is well-known for founding Opus Dei, meaning the Work of God, which focused on reaching sanctification through our daily work and the fulfillment of our Christian duties. St. Josemaria was convinced that in order to attain sanctity through our daily work, one needs to strive to be a soul of prayer. Living in this way, everything becomes prayer, leading us to God in each moment of our day and drawing others to Him as well. St. Josemaria spoke of this, saying, “Either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or else we shall never find Him.”

St. Josemaria especially emphasized serving God at all times by beginning the day with a morning prayer, an offering to Our Lord and Lady of all that we shall do that day. His mother taught him the following morning offering, which he said daily throughout his life.

O my Lady, O my Mother, I offer myself entirely to you, and in proof of my filial affection I offer to you this day my eyes, my ears, my tongue, my heart, in a word, my whole self. Now that I am entirely yours Mother of goodness, keep me and defend me as your own property and possession. Amen.

St. Josemaria Escriva is also well-known for his written works of spiritual guidance, such as The Way. These small, but profound, works provide the reader with guidance to sanctify every moment and act of the day. The following prayer asks God to grant a special request and help us attain sanctification through the intercession of St. Josemaria Escriva, known as the Saint of the ordinary.

Prayer for the Intercession of St. Josemaria Escriva

O God, through the mediation of Mary our Mother, you granted your priest St. Josemaría countless graces, choosing him as a most faithful instrument to found Opus Dei, a way of sanctification in daily work and in the fulfillment of the Christian's ordinary duties. Grant that I too may learn to turn all the circumstances and events of my life into occasions of loving You and serving the Church, the Pope and all souls with joy and simplicity, lighting up the pathways of this earth with faith and love. Deign to grant me, through the intercession of St. Josemaría, the favor of (make your request). Amen.
Recite one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

From the writings of St. Margaret Mary, we read,
“The Sacred Heart of Christ 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 in order 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 unit 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 filled with all blessings, and into 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.”

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A common practice for Catholic individuals and families during the month of June is to pray an act of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By making this act we are uniting ourselves with Jesus' Sacred Heart that we may be strengthened to follow His Will. The following prayer is one example of a consecration.

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Thee I consecrate and offer up my person and my life, my actions, trials, and sufferings, that my entire being may henceforth only be employed in loving, honoring and glorifying Thee. This is my irrevocable will, to belong entirely to Thee, and to do all for Thy love, renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease Thee.

I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness. Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee. Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee.

I beseech Thee, through Thine infinite Goodness, grant that my name be engraved upon Thy Heart, for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants. Amen.

-- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Holy Mother Church devotes the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with a specific feast day celebrating the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost, this year June 12th. The Church has many devotions specifically for honoring the Sacred Heart. One practice is the First Friday devotion, which Jesus revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. He revealed to her that it was His desire that the first Friday of each month be consecrated to the devotion and adoration of His most Sacred Heart. He made twelve promises for those who sincerely practiced this devotion.

From the writings of St. Margaret Mary, we learn of a few of them as she states, "On Friday during Holy Communion, He said these words to His unworthy slave, if I mistake not: I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on nine first Fridays of consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they will not die under my displeasure or without receiving their sacraments, my divine Heart making itself their assured refuge at the last moment."

In order to make this devotion of the nine first Fridays well, we should make a worthy confession and receive Holy Communion, offering our entire selves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Throughout this month of June, dedicated to Our Lord's most Sacred Heart, and each time we venerate His Sacred Heart, we should remember Jesus' great love for us, flowing forth from His Heart, and in return we should strive to express our love and devotion to Him through acts of adoration and repentance.

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Hail! O Sacred Heart of Jesus, living and quickening source of eternal life, infinite treasure of the Divinity, and burning furnace of divine love. Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary, O my amiable Savior. Consume my heart with that burning fire with which Thine is ever inflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Thy love, and let my heart be so united with Thine, that our wills may be one, and mine in all things, conformed to Thine. May Thy divine will be equally the standard and rule of all my desires and of all my actions. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Holy Mother Church dedicates the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Numerous saints held a great devotion to the Sacred Heart of our Lord, including St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, who penned the following invocation:

  O Heart of love, I put all my trust in Thee; for I fear all things from my own weakness, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness.

Like these saints, we would do well to increase our love and devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Church teaches true devotion to the Sacred Heart means honoring the Heart of Christ in that His Heart recalls His love and sacrifice for us. This devotion to Our Lord focuses on two parts for us: consecration and reparation. Consecration to His Most Sacred Heart means giving and trusting ourselves to His care, loving Him, and striving to grow closer to Him; reparation focuses on humbling ourselves before the Lord, filled with sorrow for the sins we have committed against His Sacred Heart and striving to imitate Him. 

The following novena to the Sacred Heart can be prayed at anytime, but it is especially fitting during the month of June and nine days before the feast of the Sacred Heart, June 27.

Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Divine Jesus, You have said, "Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you." Behold me kneeling at Your feet, filled with a lively faith and confidence in the promises dictated by Your Sacred Heart to Saint Margaret Mary. I come to ask this favor: (Mention your request).

To whom can I turn if not to You, Whose Heart is the source of all graces and merits? Where should I seek if not in the treasure which contains all the riches of Your kindness and mercy? Where should I knock if not at the door through which God gives Himself to us and through which we go to God? I have recourse to You, Heart of Jesus. In You I find consolation when afflicted, protection when persecuted, strength when burdened with trials, and light in doubt and darkness. 

Dear Jesus, I firmly believe that You can grant me the grace I implore, even though it should require a miracle. You have only to will it and my prayer will be granted. I admit that I am most unworthy of Your favors, but this is not a reason for me to be discouraged. You are the God of mercy, and You will not refuse a contrite heart. Cast upon me a look of mercy, I beg of You, and Your kind Heart will find in my miseries and weakness a reason for granting my prayer. 

Sacred Heart, whatever may be Your decision with regard to my request, I will never stop adoring, loving, praising, and serving You. My Jesus, be pleased to accept this my act of perfect resignation to the decrees of Your adorable Heart, which I sincerely desire may be fulfilled in and by me and all Your creatures forever. Grant me the grace for which I humbly implore You through the Immaculate Heart of Your most sorrowful Mother. You entrusted me to her as her child, and her prayers are all-powerful with You. Amen.