Dr. Helen Titilola OLOJEDE

Do you know that June is considered the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus? Two main reasons are given for this. The first is that it is in June that we celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The second reason is that it was in June that Mary Margareth Alacoque began to receive visions about the Sacred Heart through whom Jesus requested a devotion to His Sacred Heart.

Mary Margaret Alacoque was born to the poor duo of Claude Alacoque and Philiberte Lamyn. Margaret was devoted to the Blessed Sacrament from an early age, with a preference for silence and prayer. She had her first Holy Communion at age nine, after which she started to secretly practice severe bodily mortifications till she got really ill and was bedridden for four years. This experience led Alacoque to vow to the Blessed Virgin to consecrate herself to religious life, and she was immediately restored to good health. Alacoque, after a brief stint with the world and the consequent chastisement from our Lord in a vision after returning from a ball in the night, later entered the Visitation Convent on May 25, 1671. In November 1672, she made her final vows.

Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque had several visions of Jesus where he revealed how to venerate His Heart and the great love he has for humanity while appearing with His heart visible outside of his chest, on fire and surrounded by a crown of thorns. These visions ways include:

1. A Holy hour on Thursdays, during which she asked to lie prostrate with her face to the ground from midnight on the eve of the first Friday of each month.
2. The reception of the Eucharist on the first Friday of every month.

Jesus told Sister Margaret Mary, “My Sacred Heart is so intense in its love for men, and for you in particular, that not being able to contain within it the flames of its ardent charity, they must be transmitted through all means.” These visions continued for 18 months.

A few of the promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque are I will:

Give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.

 Give peace in their families.

Console them in all their troubles.

Be their refuge in life and especially in death.

Abundantly bless all their undertakings.

Sister Margaret Mary passed on in 1690; she was canonized by Pope Benedict XV on May 13, 1920.

In June, you can get closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by spending time with the Blessed Sacrament and saying a simple ejaculatory prayer: “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in you.”