This Easter season, we can encounter the heart of Christ. This is the heart that, pierced by a soldier after Jesus died, poured forth blood and water. The action signified that His loving heart pours forth mercy and forgiveness for all who embrace it.
Two devotions honor Jesus’ loving heart – the Sacred Heart devotion and the Divine Mercy devotion. These devotions are complementary, but each has a different emphasis. Yet, they are inseparable because both are based on one heart: the loving and merciful heart of Christ.
Many people, including the late Pope St. John Paul II, practice both devotions. John Paul II was instrumental in the establishment of the Divine Mercy devotion and yet maintained a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart.
The Sacred Heart devotion, as practiced today, is based on the visions of Christ received by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque from 1673 to 1675. The devotion focuses on the humanity of Christ and the love contained in His heart.
This devotion is founded on the 12 promises Jesus gave to St. Margaret Mary. These promises are a path to holiness and virtue, and as they are fulfilled in our lives we grow closer to Jesus the more we become like Him.
The Sacred Heart devotion also emphasizes holy reparation, or offering up our daily prayers, trials, joys and sorrows to the Lord.
The Divine Mercy devotion started with the revelations from Jesus to St. Faustina from 1931 to 1938. This devotion focuses on His mercy and the need for us to trust in it. When Jesus asked St. Faustina to have a painting made of the image of His mercy, He wanted the signature at the bottom to state “Jesus, I Trust in You.”
The Divine Mercy image portrays Jesus coming toward us with His hand pointing to His hidden heart, which is emitting healing rays of mercy and forgiveness. Jesus told St. Faustina, “These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when my agonized heart was opened by a lance on the cross.”
The Divine Mercy devotion and the Sacred Heart devotion speak of the same heart that poured forth blood and water for our salvation.
St. Margaret Mary once wrote, “Not only is the Sacred Heart the seat of all virtues, but is also the source of the grace by which we acquire these virtues. Have devotion to the Sacred Heart, full of love and mercy. Through It, demand all that you wish to obtain and offer all your actions because the Sacred Heart is the treasury of all supernatural gifts.”
Feasts, important days
Jesus promised St. Faustina that souls who approach Him on Divine Mercy Sunday (the Second Sunday of Easter) will “pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Font of My Mercy.” (Diary, 699)
St. Faustina reminds us that Jesus is still offering us love and mercy. I marvel over the blessing of Divine Mercy Sunday on April 24 this year. I like to call it a “Catholic parent’s dream,” as this dear heart lavishes graces of mercy upon the souls approaching it. We read from St. Faustina that:
“From all My wounds, like from streams, mercy flows for souls, but the wound in My Heart is the fountain of unfathomable mercy. From this fountain spring all graces for souls. The flames of compassion burn Me. I desire greatly to pour them out upon souls. Speak to the whole world about My mercy.” (Diary, 1190)
This year the Feast of the Sacred Heart will take place Friday, June 24. We are also invited to attend Mass each First Friday and offer up our communion for the reparation of sins.
The greatest way to encounter the heart of Christ is by opening our own hearts to this life-changing love, allowing us to receive this love, share it with others and experience the rays of forgiveness and mercy.
The heart of Christ is the source of all grace, love and mercy. May we encounter the loving heart of Christ this Easter season and seek Christ’s mercy during Divine Mercy Sunday.
Emily Jaminet is executive director of the Sacred Heart Enthronement Network found at www.WelcomeHisHeart.com.