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June, Month of the Sacred Heart
Consider lighting a Sacred Heart candle in your home. Each time you pass by it pray, “O Heart of Jesus, inflamed with love for us, inflame our hearts with love for thee. Amen.”
On this day in 1899, June was officially established as the Month of the Sacred Heart. It is celebrated primarily by Roman Catholics but often by Eastern Catholics, Old Catholics, Independent Catholics, as wells as some Anglicans and Lutherans. Certainly there is no barrier preventing anyone, regardless of denomination or even faith background, from encountering Christ through celebration of the Month of the Sacred Heart.
Since the development of the devotion to the Sacred Heart in France in the 17th century, the month of June has been connected to the Sacred Heart. This devotion grew steadily over the centuries, culminating its official consecration.
At that time, in what he called "the great act" of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIII solemnly consecrated all mankind to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This had been proposed to him by Blessed Sister Mary of the Divine Heart, a nun of the Good Shepherd who said that she had received the idea from Christ Himself.
In what was surely a miracle, Blessed Sister Mary died on the feast of the Sacred Heart, two days before the consecration, which had been deferred to the following Sunday.
Veneration of the Sacred Heart is a special form of devotion to Jesus Christ, based entirely on the symbolism of the heart. The word heart awakens the idea of the heart in both senses — in other words, life and love itself. Not just the physical organ that, when it stops, stops Life along with it; but also the emotional, moral, and social heart, the source and symbol of Love.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus is depicted as wounded because it represents the Heart of Jesus, the real, living Heart that loved and suffered on the Cross. This is the Heart that pumped his sacred life’s blood through his human body. But it is also the Heart that powered his emotional and moral life — the Heart that, just as our own hearts propel our mortal lives, was the engine of the Master's life.
Above the heart are flames, calling to mind the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, which this sacred month immediately follows.
Join Fr. Mitch in practicing this great devotion. Here are some of the many ways to celebrate the month.
Click here to view a .pdf of Little Manual of the Sacred Heart, a book of devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Hang a devotional picture or place a statute in your home. Do this not as an idol of worship, or to falsely advertise your devotion, but rather as a humble reminder. Each time you pass by it, stop and say the following prayer: “Heart of Jesus, inflamed with love for us, inflame our hearts with love for thee. Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; Amen.”
Light a Sacred Heart candle in your home. While it burns, read and meditate on some of the popular scriptures associated with the Sacred Heart (Deut 7:6-11, Hosea 11:Psalm 33, Romans 5:5-11, 1 John 4:7-16, Matthew 11:25-30, Luke 15:3-7, etc.)
Pray the Chaplet of the Sacred Heart. For instructions, see page 20 of this document.
Pray the Novena of the Sacred Heart. For instructions, see page 55 of this document..
Pray the Little Office of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. For instructions, click here.