Where did the Sacred Heart devotion come from? Did the Church always have a devotion to the Sacred Heart?

The answer is: Yes and No!

Yes, the Church has always honored Jesus’ divine and human natures as well as His Passion. The Sacred Heart is present in Scripture (piercing of Christ’s side, John 19) and the Church Fathers (St. Augustine). But it was not until centuries later that the devotion to the Sacred Heart fully emerged.

As Pope Francis writes in Dilexit Nos, “Christ’s heart has always been present in the history of Christian spirituality. In the Scriptures and in the early centuries of the Church’s life, it appeared under the image of the Lord’s wounded side […] In recent centuries, this spirituality has gradually taken on the specific form of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

The real turning point happened when Jesus appeared to a French nun in the 1600s, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

From childhood illness to mockery and rejection, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque endured much suffering. But she persevered in her faith. Jesus later appeared to her and gave her visions of the Sacred Heart along with 12 Promises for those who honor and expose an image of His Sacred Heart.

Why did Jesus appear to St. Margaret Mary? Why did our Lord pick the 1600s to introduce the Sacred Heart image? Do we still need it today?

The answer to all of those questions lies in the story of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque’s story – her sufferings, her family, the culture around her, and her spiritual experiences. Which we will continue exploring tomorrow!

As for tonight, I hope you’ll begin praying for St. Margaret Mary’s intercession for your family and all the families praying this 54-Day Rosary Novena together on the Family Rosary Across America. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque – pray for us!

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!