Tuesday, October 16, 2007
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Readings:
First Reading: Ephesians 3:14-19
Responsorial: Psalm 22 R/ v.1
Acclamation: Matthew 11:25
Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30
Introduction
St. Margaret M. Alacoque was born at Verosvres, France in 1647 and entered the Order of the Visitation in 1671. Jesus appeared to her in numerous visions, displaying His Sacred Heart, sometimes burning as a furnace, and sometimes torn and bleeding on account of the coldness of the sins of men. In 1675 the great revelation was made to her that she, in union with Father de la Colombiere S.J., was to be the chief instrument for instituting the Feast of the Sacred Heart and for the spreading of the devotion throughout the world. St. Margaret M. Alacoque died on October 17, 1690.
“It is the ingratitude of men which has hurt Me more than all the suffering I underwent during My Passion. If only they would make some return for My love, I should think but little of all I have done for them and would wish, were it possible, to suffer still more. But the sole return they make for all My eagerness to do them good is to reject Me and treat Me with coldness. Do thou at least console Me by supplying for their ingratitude as far as thou art able.”
Contemplation
The contemplation of the benefits of Jesus towards us ought to become the source of our practical devotion to the Sacred Heart. For only love alone can respond to love. In his appearance to St. Margaret, Jesus 'complains' of the lack of love in return for His love: "Behold this heart that has so loved men and which receives from them only ingratitude." Thus, it is clear that it is only by love, by the gift of the heart that we should respond to Christ Jesus. The suggested hymn for the feast of the Sacred Heart rightly expresses this by the following words, "Who will not love in return for the one Who loves him? Who being redeemed will not love His Redeemer?" Today we question our love for Jesus. Do we really love Him? Can we assuredly say that if we were on Calvary 2000 years ago, we would have embraced the cross on which hung our Lord?
“Behold this Heart, Which has loved men so much, that It has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify to them Its love; and in return I receive from the greater number nothing but ingratitude by reason of their irreverence and sacrileges, and by the coldness and contempt which they show Me in this Sacrament of Love. But what I feel most keenly is that it is hearts which are consecrated to Me, that treat Me thus...”
Love of God
The love we offer God if to be perfect must bear a double character. A great English abbot once explained that there is "first of all, affective love; it consists in the different feelings which move in the heart towards a person loved." I would believe such feelings to include: admiration, joy, and thanksgiving. The other character, he explained is praise. Such a love as described above gives birth the praise. For we want to praise the works of His hands, the blessings He has bestowed upon us, our loved ones, and for the simple fact that He and only He is God.
“My Divine Heart so ardently loves men that, unable to contain within itself any longer the flames of its burning love, it needs must spread them with your assistance, and thus it will show itself that all men may be enriched with its most precious treasures...”
Our Response
Today, we rejoice in the perfections if the Heart of Jesus, we celebrate it's beauties, and grandeurs, we delight in the magnificence of it's benefits. And in union with St. Peter Julian Eymard, the Eucharistic saint of reparation, we unite ourselves with all the sufferings of Jesus as we draw closer to His Most Sacred Heart. Amen.
Oremus
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who to the blessed virgin Margeret Mary did in a wondorous manner reveal the unsearchable riches of Your Heart: by her merits grant, that loving You after her example in all things and above all things, we may obtain an abode in Your Heart for evermore. Amen. St. Margeret Mary, pray for us.
Related Link: The Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Labels: Links, Prayer, Saints, Spirituality
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