Retreat on Sacred Heart

 

Retreat/June23.-022

                                                      History: Devotion to Sacred Heart of Christ.

 

St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1070-1153) inspired many to take a closer look at the Heart of Christ and view this heart as a source of our love of God and others.

St. Francis of Assisi and St. Bonaventure (13th Century) both had a deep devotion to the Sacred Heart. In fact, St. Francis of Assisi was St. Margaret Mary’s “soul-guide” for her apostolic work. St. Margaret Mary wrote, “After I had seen all this, the Divine Bridegroom, as a token of His love, gave me St. Francis as my soul’s guide. He was to lead me through all the pains and sufferings that awaited me.”

St. John Eudes of France: 1601-1680. 

In the early 17th century, devotion to the Sacred Heart was given considerable attention in the preaching and writings of St. John Eudes of France.  St. John was an ardent proponent of the Sacred Hearts and wrote the proper for the Mass and Divine Office for the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  The Church has been considering naming him a Doctor of the Church for quite a while, and this effort has gained momentum over the past six years.  

 

St. Francis de Sales lived from 1567-1622 and was a 17th century French Bishop, spiritual writer, and Saint who helped to promote this devotion. In the Treatise on the Love of God, St. Francis lays out the foundation of the devotion. St. Francis would greatly influence St. Jane Frances de Chantal who was the foundress of the Sisters of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the very order that St. Margaret Mary Alacoque would later join. The Congregation of the Visitation was canonically established at Annecy on June 6th, 1610.

 

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was born in 1647 in Burgundy, France.  Her father died when she was eight years old.  After he passed away, Margaret and her mother were subjected to persecution and captivity in their own home by their relatives.  This period of intense suffering brought her closer to Christ and strengthened her spiritual development. She had a very difficult childhood but prayed to God to protect her vocation to become a religious.  She became a nun in the Visitation order in 1672 at the convent at Paray-le-Monial.
Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary, perhaps close to forty times.  The first apparition occurred in the Visitation Chapel at Paray-le-Monial on December 27, 1673.  The last apparition occurred less than two years later in June 1675. She saw His heart engulfed in flames and surrounded by thorns and heard His gentle voice:

 

“Behold this Heart, which has loved so much but has received nothing but coldness, indifference, and ingratitude in return.”  St. Margaret Mary promoted the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, First Friday Devotion, The Twelve Promises and the Holy Hour of Reparation.

 Fr. Claude de la Columbiere was named rector at the Jesuit college at Paray-le-Monial and became the spiritual advisor for Sr. Margaret Mary.  She was filled with anxiety and uncertainty about what she was experiencing, and many of the nuns in the convent viewed her with suspicion.  The Lord was communicating through St. Margaret Mary Alacoque that the world should be devoted to His Sacred Heart. Fr. Colombiere assured St. Margaret Mary that her visions were authentic.  He also instructed her to write down all that she had experienced. Fr. Colombiere pledged himself to the mission of spreading the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Father Claude de la Columbiere was transferred to England where he was imprisoned and developed serious health issues.  He returned to France and died at Paray-le-Monial in 1682. He was beatified in 1929 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1992.

 

Why are Catholics spending time venerating the heart of Jesus?

“Devoting ourselves to the Sacred Heart is one of the easiest, fastest, and most pleasant ways to grow in holiness,” Fr. Ambrose Dobrozsi, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

 “Many saints have done many things to grow close to Jesus Christ, but no way is more sure and more pleasing to Him than to consecrate ourselves to his Sacred Heart through the Immaculate Heart of his Mother,”

Where does devotion to the Sacred Heart come from?

The story behind the modern iteration of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, however, begins on December 27, 1673 at a monastery belonging to the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitandines) in eastern France.

There, a nun named Sr. Margaret Mary Alacoque began experiencing visions of the Sacred Heart.

*Those visions continued for 18 months.

During her visions, Sr. Margaret Mary learned ways to venerate the Sacred Heart of Christ.

A.    These devotions including the concept of a holy hour on Thursdays

B.     the creation of the Feast of the Sacred Heart after Corpus Christi,

C.     and the reception of the Eucharist on the first Friday of every month.

**As with many mystics, many people were skeptical of Sr. Margaret Mary’s claims of visions. Her confessor, the then-Fr. Claude La Colombière, S.J., (now St. Claude La Colombière, S.J.) believed her, and eventually the mother superior of her community began to believe as well.

**The first Feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated privately at the monastery in 1686.

**Sr. Margaret Mary died in 1690, and was canonized by Pope Benedict XV on May 13, 1920.

Initially, the Vatican was hesitant to declare a Feast of the Sacred Heart, but did allow the Visitandines to celebrate a Mass special to this day.

*As the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread throughout France, the Vatican granted the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to France in 1765.

In 1856, after much lobbying (Request by French bishops on behalf of the Feast of the Sacred

A.    Mass of the Sacred Heart won papal approval for use in Poland and Portugal in 1765,

B.    another was approved for Venice, Austria and Spain in 1788.

C.    Finally, in 1856, Pope Pius IX established the Feast of the Sacred Heart as obligatory for the whole church of Roman Rite, to be celebrated on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi.

D.    In June 1889, Leo XIII raised the feast to the dignity of the first class.

E.    In 1928, Pope Pius XI raised the feast to the highest rank,

 

On May 25, 1899, Pope Leo XIII promulgated the encyclical Annum sacrum, which consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This encyclical was written after a nun, Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart, sent two letters to the pope requesting that he consecrate the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart wrote the letters, she said, after Jesus made the request to her.   Pope Leo XIII called this encyclical and the subsequent consecration the “great act” of his papacy.

But why consecrate the world--or anyone--to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? What does that mean?

Pope Leo XIII described the act of consecration as one that will “establish or draw tighter the bonds which naturally connect public affairs with God,” which was especially needed for the world at the turn of the century.  
 
*Sacred Heart shows that humanity still needs and longs for a compassionate and all-powerful God.

*Luxury, prideful life-destitute, poor, Natural calaminities, fires of Jesus heart reminds us the mercy, fires of Justice. Sinful life, Heart of Christ beat with powerful love. Triumph over sin, death, true charity.

These are the promises the Sacred Heart of Jesus made to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I will give peace in their families.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.
5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.
9. I will bless those places wherein the image of
My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.
10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall
have their names eternally written in my Heart.
12. In the excess of the mercy of my Heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my Heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.

 

Sacred heart of Jesus:

A. It is the image of God’s love revealed in the pierced heart of His Son.                                                               B. It is the symbol of a love that conquers sin and transcends death                                                 C. The symbol of the One who loved us to the end.

Love has always been associated with the heart, so it was only natural that the love of God became represented by a heart, the heart of his Son Jesus. In him, God the Father revealed his infinite love for us. On the Friday after the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Spiritual Goal to be reached 23.2022June

1.   Goal:To be: Superior Person: Ideal Person

 

there are three things  a. A man of benevolence never worries b. a man of wisdom is never in two minds and c. a man of courage is never afraid.

Constantly on the lips of the gentleman.

Slow in words but prompts in deeds.

 

2.   How to be: ultimate virtue: to love others

If a man sets his hearts on benevolence he will be free from evil.

 

Do not do on to others what you would not want others to do on to you;(“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you” Matt:7:12)

 

Proper conduct and cultural practice

A.    Ruler-Subject

B.    Parents-child

C.   Husband-wife

D.   Elder brother-younger brother

E.    Elder friend-younger friend

2.1  Filial Piety: Reverence for Family: Respect for one parents and ancestors. Profound respect for ones living elders. While parents are live a good son does not wonder.

2.2  Doctrine of the Mean: live in moderation; strive not for excess; value compromise,

2.3  Arts of peace: to joyful, love, forgive, never hate, resentment, jealous, praise

3.   Self as Community: Who are you? Family, friends, community, nation & humanity

Theory of Philosopher Nitche

A. Be a Harmonius totality: Rational, Consious, responsible,

B. Avoid reactive life: Brave enough to face the reality.

C. Avoid resentment:

D. Don’t blindly follow the Human Master.

E. Find your why?

F. Suffering can make you stronger. Be phoenix

G. Avoid just busy: becomes slaves, no free time

H. Live dangerously:

I. Live superhumanly:

J. Be happy: it is way to approach your goal.

Jisu Hridoyer porbo Sermon

hxïi ý`q cweÎ| wZwb wQ‡jb gvbyl| Zuvi g‡a¨ wQj gvby‡li ý`q| GB ý`q w`‡q fvj‡e‡m‡Qb| gvby‡li †`n aviY K‡i‡Qb| gvby‡li AvZ¥v Zuvi g‡a¨ wQj| Zuvi wcÖq wkl¨ †hvnb Zuvi ey‡K Sz‡K wQj| fvjevmvi wPý| cÖ‡Z¨‡Ki gvby‡li ý`q _v‡K wKš‘ fvjevmv _v‡K bv | GKUv ý`q ïaygvÎ fvjevm‡Z cv‡i eo ý`q mevB‡K fvjevm‡Z cv‡i|

hxï ý`‡qi wPý nj fvjevmvi wPý| Ck^i fvjevmv cÖKvk K‡i‡Qb Zuvi cy‡Îi el©v we× ý`‡qi gv‡a¨‡g| hxï ý`‡qi ‡mB wPý hvi gv‡a¨‡g cvc I g„Zz¨‡K civwRZ K‡i‡Qb| hxï ý`q nj †mB wPý fvjevmv AdzišÍ| KL‡bv †kl nq n‡ebv| ý`q nj fvjevmvi ¯’vb| GB ý`q w`‡q wLª÷ mevB‡K fvj‡e‡Qb| cvcx‡`i, ï·`i, hviv nvwi‡q wM‡qwQj Zv‡`i‡K Ly‡R‡Qb| hxï wLª‡÷i cyY¨ n`‡q mevB ¯’vb †c‡q‡Qb| hxï ý`q nj Ck^‡ii `qvc~b© fvjevmv|

‡hLv‡b hxïi ý`q †mLv‡b fvjevmv| wLª÷ Zvi ý`q w`‡h ‡Zvgvi me wKQz‡KB MÖnY K‡i‡Qb| †Mvjvc dzj my›`i wKš‘ Zvi g‡a¨ KvUv Av‡Q|

KvUvi gyKzU hxï wLª‡÷i hvZbv †fvM| µk: ¯^M© I gvby‡li ý`‡qi g‡a¨ ms‡hvM¯^i weªR| i³ I cvwb|

mvwn‡Z¨i fvlvq ý`q fvjevmvi wPý- †gwW‡Kj Gi fvlvq ý`q nj Rxe‡bi wPý| hxï wLª÷ Avgv‡`i Rb¨ fvjevmv w`‡q‡Qb Ges Rxeb w`‡q‡Qb|

Avgv‡`i ý`q ‡Kgb| ý`q w`‡q fvjevwm| ý`q ¯ú`›` w`‡q Ck^i‡K Abyfe Kwi| A‡b¨i Kó‡K `ytL‡K ý`h w`‡q Abyfe Kwi wKbv|

hxï AvR‡K AvnŸvi Ki‡Qb Avgv‡`i mevB‡K ý`‡q gvbyl nIqvi Rb¨| fvjevmvi gvby‡li Rb¨|