Why did Jesus give us a new devotion? Why the Sacred Heart?

Only Jesus can give you the full answer to that, but Pope Francis’ final encyclical might give us a clue.

In October 2024, the late Holy Father Pope Francis published his last encyclical: Dilexit Nos, which translates to “He has Loved Us.” It is 220 paragraphs all about the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In it, Pope Francis quotes Saint Gertrude of Helfta, a nun in the 1200s. Pope Francis writes, “Gertrude concludes that ‘the sweet sound of those heartbeats has been reserved for modern times, so that, hearing them, our aging and lukewarm world may be renewed in the love of God’. Might we think that this is message for our own times, a summons to realize how our world has indeed “grown old”, and needs to perceive anew the message of Christ’s love?”

Pope Francis suggests that this devotion was given in modern times to awaken our love through encountering Jesus’ love in the Sacred Heart. In fact, Jesus Himself promises that “Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.” and “Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.”

How easy is it to become distracted today? Between media, work, school, sports, and everything else, how easy is it to forget God? Shockingly easy! It is even easier for our faith to grow lukewarm and to lose its fire.

In a modern world filled with noise and distraction, the Sacred Heart invites us to reject a lukewarm faith and to encounter Jesus’ fully divine and fully human heart. Through this 54-Day Rosary Novena, we are asking Jesus to increase our faith, our family’s faith, and to intercede for the needs of our Church.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you the story of exactly who Jesus revealed his Sacred Heart to!

PRAY WITH US AT 7PM CT

And now, you can also join our Family Rosary Across America text group by texting “PRAY” to 914914 for updates and reminders to pray with us during this novena.

See you at the Rosary tonight at 7pm CT!