Italic Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal or, where indicated,
Abbot Gueranger's "The Liturgical Year".
Non-Italic Text and Images taken from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia,
unless otherwise accredited.
[This Feast was held on Friday, 15 June 2012 - Editor].
Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi.
Double of the First Class with Privileged Octave of the Third Order.
White Vestments.
Pope Leo XIII wrote the encyclical, "Annum Sacrum", on the consecration of the entire world to The Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was delivered in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome on 25 May 1899.
Coming after the Feasts of Christ, this Feast completes them, concentrating them in one object, which is materially Jesus' Heart of flesh, and formally the unbounded charity symbolised by this Heart. This Solemnity, therefore, does not relate to a particular mystery of the Saviour's life, but embraces them all; indeed, the devotion to The Sacred Heart celebrates all the favours we have received from Divine Charity during the year (Collect), and all the marvellous things that Jesus has done for us (Introit, Tract, Alleluia).
It is the Feast of the love of God for men, a love which has made Jesus come down on Earth for all by His Incarnation (Epistle), which has raised Him on the Cross for the Redemption of all and which brings Him down every day on our altars by Transubstantiation, in order to make us benefit by the merits of His death on Calvary.
Blessed Mary of The Divine Heart (1863 - 1899).
Born Maria Droste zu Vischering, she was a German Roman Catholic nun, who was best known for influencing Pope Leo XIII's consecration of the world to The Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pope Leo XII called this consecration "the greatest act of my pontificate".
These three mysteries, which manifest to us the Divine Charity in a more special way, sum up the spirit of the Feast of The Sacred Heart. It is "His love which forced Him to put on a mortal body" (Hymn at Matins). It is His love which willed that The Sacred Heart should be pierced on the Cross (Gospel and Communion), in order that from the wound should flow a spring (Preface) we might draw from joyfully (versicle at Second Vespers), whose water cleanses us from our sins in Baptism and whose blood nourishes our Souls in the Eucharist.
And, as the Eucharist is the continuation of the Incarnation and the sacrifice of Calvary, Jesus asked that the Feast should be placed immediately after the Octave of Corpus Christi.
As these manifestations of Christ's love only show the more the ingratitude of men who only answer by coldness and indifference (Offertory), this Solemnity has a character of reparation (Collect) demanded of us by the wounded Heart of Jesus and by His immolation in the Crib, on the Cross and on the Altar.
Let us learn from the Heart of Jesus, whose gentle and humble love turns no-one away, and in it we shall find rest for our Souls (Alleluia).
THIS CONCLUDES THIS ARTICLE
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