What happens when a brilliant man gives his heart to Jesus?

In 18th-century Italy, a young man named Alphonsus Liguori had everything going for him. He earned a law degree at age 16, had a promising career, and was widely admired for his sharp mind. But deep down, Alphonsus knew God was calling him to something more.

So he walked away from worldly success and became a priest.

That might seem like a dangerous decision. But the greater danger is to not listen to Jesus! By paying attention to where God was calling him, St. Alphonsus Liguori became one of the greatest teachers and defenders of the Catholic Faith. He founded the Redemptorist order, wrote over 100 books, and became a Doctor of the Church. But do you know what devotion burned most in his heart?

The Sacred Heart of Jesus!

St. Alphonsus saw the Sacred Heart as the perfect answer to the coldness and fear he saw in the Church around him. He lived just a few decades after St. Margaret Mary, and he helped carry her mission forward by writing books, preaching missions, and promoting Holy Communion, adoration, and First Fridays as ways to grow closer to Jesus.

He knew what every Catholic needs to hear: Jesus isn’t waiting for you to be perfect. He’s waiting for us to surrender our hearts to Him.

PRAY WITH US AT 7 PM CT

So if your faith ever feels like a checklist, let St. Alphonsus remind you: Jesus wants your heart. Today, see if you can take one step back from the noise of life and tell Jesus, “I give my heart to You, Lord.” And as always, join us at 7pm CT for the Family Rosary Across America. Let’s keep handing over our hearts to the One who gave His first.

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!