The Biblical Foundation of Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus [Ecumenical]

Dignare Me Laudare Te, Virgo Sacrata ^ | 19th century | Bishop Frederick Justus Knecht

[Pyro7480]

Image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, taken from America Needs Fatima blog

(The following is excerpted from Chapter LI of the Second Part of "A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture," by Bishop Frederick Justus Knecht, D.D., published by TAN Books.)

Ten Memorable Sayings of Our Lord

X. "Come to Me all you that labour and are burdened[14], and I will refresh you[15]. Take up My yoke upon you and learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart, [emphasis mine] and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke[16] is sweet, and My burden is light" [Matthew 11: 28-30].

Notes:

14. Burdened. Either with grief or with the weight of sin.
15. Refresh you. With consolations and peace.
16. My yoke. My law of love.

Commentary

"The law of Jesus is sweet and easy 1. because the purport of it is love, and loves makes all duties light and pleasant; 2. because Jesus does not merely impose duties on us, but helps us by His grace to fulfil[l] them; 3. because Jesus has gone before us, showing us an example. He Himself has done everything which He requires us to do, and that in the most perfect manner, as, for example, showing love to our enemies. His law is sweet and easy. 4. because an exceeding great reward is promised to us if we obey it, name, peace and joy of heart on earth, and inconceivable glory and happiness in heaven."

"Gentleness and humility are especially taught us by the example of our Lord Jesus. The sins contrary to these virtues are the two capital sins of anger and pride."

"Devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Our Lord Himself directs us to His Sacred Heart and invites us to imitate its virtues of love, mercy, gentleness, humility, obedience, patience, fortitude &c. The Heart of Jesus is the model of all virtues and the fountain of all grace, and must therefore be loved and adored by all who love Jesus. The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is kept on the Friday [in some places, on the Sunday] after the Octave of Corpus Christi."

Application. "Examine your conscience on the subject of gentleness; makes acts of contrition, and good resolutions."

"Happiness can only be found with Jesus. As long as you follow Him, and are obedient and innocent, you will have peace and joy of heart. But if you do what is wrong, you will feel discontented, restless and troubled. Keep, therefore, away from sin; it will make you very unhappy."

[Pyro7480]

May the Heart of Jesus be praised, adored, and loved, with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, now, and until the end of time. Amen.

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[Steelfish]

Thanks for the post.

[NYer]

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I, __________, give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ my person and my life, my actions, pains, and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being save to honor, love, and glorify the Sacred Heart.

This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him.

I therefore take Thee, O Sacred Heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life and my sure refuge at the hour of death.

Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God Thy Father, and turn away from me the strokes of His righteous anger. O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in Thee, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty; but I hope for all things from Thy goodness and bounty.

Do Thou consume in me all that can displease Thee or resist Thy holy will. Let Thy pure love imprint Thee so deeply upon my heart that I shall nevermore be able to forget Thee or to be separated from Thee. May I obtain from all Thy loving kindness the grace of having my name written in Thee, for in Thee I desire to place all my happiness and all my glory, living and dying in true bondage to Thee.

[the invisib1e hand]

He also showed a bit of tough love to the money-changers in the temple.

[netmilsmom]

Amen!

[Dajjal]

The Biblical Foundation of Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I must strongly disagree with "Dignare Me Laudare Te, Virgo Sacrata" that Matthew 11: 28-30 is the singular foundation of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus -- as I observe that Bishop Knecht does not make any such claim, himself.

First, let me point out that the Sacred Heart is not merely a symbol. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has always been taken to mean foremost a devotion to Christ's physical, bodily Heart. Once this is clear, then contemplation of Christ's passionate love for mankind, or His humility, or His virtue can follow.

For the first twelve centuries of Christianity, references to the Heart of Christ clustered around three scriptural passages: the piercing of Christ's side (John 19:34), St. John's reclining on His bosom (John 13:23,25) and the water of life (John 7:37-38).

In the 12th century, two more scriptural texts were be added: the cleft in the rock (Cant. 2:14) and the wounding of the bridegroom (Cant. 4:9). Around this time, several other non-Biblical influences began to mix with the scriptural bases -- such as the visions of St. Lutgarde and St. Margaret of Cortona, or prayers mentioning His Heart, or meditative treatises such as the Lignum Vitae (The Tree of Life) referencing His Heart. Contemplation of Christ's Heart was frequently an element of the burgeoning devotion to the Five Wounds.

In the late 13th century, St. Gertrude the Great and St. Mechthilde of Hackeborn began what can truly be called full-fledged private devotions to the Sacred Heart, placing Christ's Heart at the center of their daily spiritual practices. But this followed from the visions granted to them by Christ Himself, and not on their readings of Matthew 11. Private devotions flourished throughout the Western Church for several centuries after these two nuns.

Then St. Margaret Mary Alacoque set the basis for public devotions in obedience to the visions Christ granted her.

[bdeaner]

This is my favorite prayer, after the Our Father and Hail Mary.



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 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.

-- Lanspergius, the Carthusian

[Pyro7480]

I don’t think it was claimed that it was the sole foundation. Maybe the title should be tweaked a bit.

[NYer]

Thank you for posting that magnificent prayer! I am very devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At age 5, my mother (who worked for an international airline) and I flew to Rome. Prior to returning to the US, we visited a gift shop and she let me pick out anything I wanted. I chose a 2' statue of the Sacred Heart!! It was half my height but we managed to bring it home on the plane. Over the years, that statue moved with me from one house to another until it fell apart from all the packing and shipping (plaster of paris). The first elementary school I attended was named 'Sacred Heart' as was my high school. Upon graduation, I purchased a small wooden statue of the Sacret Heart that has held up just fine :-)

Here is another beautiful prayer, from Fatima.

Oh Most Holy Trinity,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
I adore Thee profoundly.
I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity
of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world,
in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and
indifferences by which He is offended.
By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I beg the conversion of poor sinners.

Amen.

[bdeaner]

That’s so wonderful your devotion to the Sacred Heart has been there from such a young age. What a blessing!

[Salvation]

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