Many St. Thomas parishioners have a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Browse this page for information on this devotion and how you can practice it at our parish. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!<\/p>\n\n\n\r\n
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This devotion can seem intimidating or perhaps a large commitment. While it\u2019s been around for hundreds of years, you don\u2019t have to understand every aspect of the devotion before you start. June is the ideal month to explore the Sacred Heart of Jesus, since this month is customarily devoted to the Sacred Heart, but there’s no bad time of year to get started. More information on why reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is good and necessary can be found in the encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor<\/em> by Pope Pius XI<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In a series of visions given to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, our Lord asked that certain reparations be made in atonement for the ingratitude shown to his Sacred Heart. In order to make reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Catholics are invited to receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive months. Jesus promised St. Margaret Mary that he will grant twelve powerful graces to the communicant who has the intention of making reparation to his Sacred Heart:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first Friday of every month is devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Friday Masses at St. Thomas are typically at 7:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m. (during the school year), and 12:00 p.m.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n \t\t \t\t\t Merriam-Webster defines devotion<\/em> as \u201cthe act of taking a vow (from the Latin verb vov\u0113re <\/em>which means \u2018to vow\u2019). While devout<\/em> implies faithfulness of a religious nature, devoted<\/em> refers to one’s commitment to another through love and loyalty.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What Is the Devotion to the Sacred Heart in Its Essence?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This devotion honors the heart of God who became man with the intention of making reparation for the sin committed against him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But What Does It Mean to Honor the Heart of God?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n While we venerate Jesus\u2018s physical heart, there is also a mystical aspect of this devotion. This includes, but is not limited to, contemplating his suffering in the garden of Gethsemane, his immense capacity to hold the sin of man and destroy it in the furnace of his heart, and the immense love he has for each individual person.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How Do I Know If I Should Start a Devotion?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to St. Francis de Sales, a \u201cdevotion is suitable to every vocation and profession\u201c and \u201cfurthermore, such practice must be modified according to the strength, the calling, and the duties of each individual.\u201d Pray to the Holy Spirit, your sanctifier, and ask him to lead you to the correct devotion.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Should I Have More than One Devotion?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is generally advised to treat devotions like friendships. Most people cannot have deep, abiding friendships with more than a few people. Many devotions are compatible with one another. Therefore, a devotion to the Rosary could easily be practiced alongside devotion to the Sacred Heart. Intention matters, and it is best not to collect devotions as a way to ensure their promises. God leads us to certain devotions that will heal our wounds, highlight our gifts, and lead others to him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What If I Fail with an Aspect of the Devotion?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Begin again with stubborn persistence, courage, and humility.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n \t\t \t\t\t The word \u201creparation\u201d comes from the Latin word reparare, <\/em>which means to \u201cmake ready again.\u201d By honoring the Sacred Heart, one makes reparations by increasingly receiving Holy Communion (first Friday), spending time with Jesus in a holy hour, and praying Sacred Heart prayers such as the Litany of the Sacred Heart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The word \u201crepair\u201d also comes from the word reparare<\/em>. We allow Jesus to repair our relationship with him and all of mankind. We make ourselves and others \u201cready again\u201d by cooperating with God.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A way to understand reparations is through Psalm 106:23. \u201cTherefore, he said he would destroy them\u2014had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.\u201d Standing in the breach is a military term and was used when someone had to stand in the hole that the enemy had created in the wall surrounding a city. This person prevented the enemy from overcoming the city\u2019s defenses.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In Hebrew, \u201cstand in the breach\u201d literally means to \u201cstand in the rupture\u201d or \u201cstand in the breaking.\u201d Sacred Heart devotees hold off the ongoing destruction by \u201coffering themselves to Christ as victims\u201d (Miserentissimus Redemptor<\/strong><\/a><\/em>). Pope Pius XI further explains, \u201cthe just and merciful God who would have spared Sodom for the sake of ten just men, will much more be ready to spare the whole race of men when he is moved by the humble prayers of the community of the faithful\u201d (Misrentissimus Redemptor<\/strong><\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n \t\t \t\t\t Lord, have mercy. Enthronement is when a household chooses an image of the Sacred Heart to prominently display in their home. A priest is invited to the home and the family consecrates themselves to the Sacred Heart.<\/p>\n Preparation for the Ceremony of Enthronement<\/b><\/p>\n Why Would I Do an Enthronement Ceremony?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Each home is a little church that has Christ at its center. Enthronement serves to remind everyone that Christ\u2019s loving heart is welcome and present in your home. Enthronement sends a message that your home is under the protection of the Sacred Heart. It is also an opportunity to bring a piece of holy art into your home for meditation. Jesus told St. Margaret Mary that any house that contains an image of the most Sacred Heart will be placed under his protection and peace.<\/span><\/p>\n What Happens During the Enthronement?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n There are a variety of prayers said during an enthronement. All enthronement ceremonies contain prayers with the intention of concentrating the household on the Sacred Heart. The priest will then bless the piece of art depicting the Sacred Heart of Jesus and includes a blessing of the home for protection of all who reside there.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n \t\t \t\t\t <\/p>\n Jesus asked St. Margaret Mary that a feast of the Sacred Heart should be celebrated on the Friday after the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. St. John Eudes referred to this Mass of the Sacred Heart as the \u201cMass of Fire\u201d in reference to the furnace of love found in the Sacred Heart.<\/p>\n\n
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First Friday Masses<\/h3><\/i><\/div>\r\n \t\t\t
What Is a Devotion?<\/h3><\/i><\/div>\r\n \t\t\t
What Does It Mean to \u201cMake Reparations?\u201d<\/h3><\/i><\/div>\r\n \t\t\t
The Litany of the Sacred Heart<\/h3><\/i><\/div>\r\n \t\t\t
\nChrist, have mercy.
\nLord, have mercy.
\nChrist, hear us.
\nChrist, graciously hear us.
\nGod the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
\nGod the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
\nGod, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
\nHoly Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, of Infinite Majesty, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, Sacred Temple of God, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, Tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, abode of justice and love, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, in whom are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, in whom dwells the fullness of divinity, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, patient and most merciful, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke thee, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, obedient to death, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, our peace and our reconciliation, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in thee, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, hope of those who die in thee, have mercy on us.
\nHeart of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us.
\nLamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; spare us, O Lord.
\nLamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
\nLamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
\nJesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like to yours.
\nLet us pray:
\nAlmighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of your most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which he offers you in the name of sinners; and to those who implore your mercy, in your great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n \t\t \t\t\tEnthrone the Sacred Heart in Your Home<\/h3><\/i><\/div>\r\n \t\t\t
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Celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart<\/h3><\/i><\/div>\r\n \t\t\t
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