Nineteen days after Pentecost the Church gives us another feast to celebrate the love that God has for us and shows us how to return that love.
Although down through the centuries people have had a devotion to the Sacred heart it was not until the 16oo's that it truly became established.
In 1647 a baby girl was born to parents, Claude and Philiberte Alaoque. Given the name Margaret Mary, she was a quiet and reserved child who preferred her own company, where she would sit silently and pray especially before the Blessed Sacrament. After her first Holy Communion Margaret
Mary would begin to practice quite severe self mortification until paralysis confined her to her bed for four years. During this time she made a vow to the Blessed Virgin Mary to consecrate herself to religious life, she was instantly restored to health. However, after a time misfortune befell her family, her Father died and an unjust relative plunged the family into deep poverty. During this time Margaret sought consolation in the Eucharist. Christ began to appear to her and soothe her.
It was a number of years until everything was restored to the family, but finally her Mother was able to re-establish herself By the age of seventeen Margaret Mary decided that she didn't need to fulfil her childish promises but she could serve The Lord while at home by doing penance and works of mercy.
Her self mortification was often quite extreme and she would draw blood in her rough punishment of herself. On one hand you had this very pious tradition but on the other hand she began to partake in the "pleasures" of the world. One night upon returning from an evenings dancing she had a vision of Christ suffering the consequences of his scourging. Christ reproached her for her lack of fidelity to him after he had given her so many proofs of his love for her. This brought Margaret Mary up short and she very quickly changed paths again and entered the Visitation Sisters at Paray, where she was throughly tested to make sure her vocation was true. In November 1672 she pronounced her final vows.
While at the convent Margaret Mary was inspired by Christ to establish a Holy Hour on the first Friday of each month, to share in the sadness he felt when he was abandoned by all his apostles in his agony. This has become a very established devotion in the church with many participating each month. Out of this revelation came some very specific "promises" from Our Lord for those who
would participate in this devotion:
1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life.
2. I will establish peace in their families.
3. I will comfort them in their trials.
4. I will be their secure refuge during life, and, above all, in death.
5. I will shed abundant blessings on all their undertakings
6. Sinners will find in My Heart an infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Lukewarm souls will become fervent.
8. Fervent souls will rapidly grow in holiness and perfection.
9. I will bless every place where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. The names of those who promote this devotion will be written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.
12. I promise thee, in the excessive mercy of My Heart, that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.
These beautiful promises are very consoling for a Mamas heart or I'm sure for anyones. but we must remember as with anything we do for the Lord our hearts have to be turned to him in the right disposition, hoping in his merciful love for us.
The revelations that this humble nun received continued for many years and were subjected to severe examination before they were accepted as authentic. Margaret Mary was canonised in 1920
I think this feast deserves some "Sacred Heart" shaped cookies or cakes. let the children decorate them with icing and allow their imagination to run wild!
Heres a good recipe for butter cookies that you can cut out with a heart shaped cutter:
175g Soft Butter
200g Sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 Egg
400g plain flour
1Tsp. Baking powder
1 Tsp Salt
Cream butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add vanilla essence and egg, mix until combined. Sift flour and baking powder, and stir until you have a dough. Add more flour if to sticky to roll.
Halve to dough and wrap both in cling film and allow to rest in fridge for an hour.
Sprinkle work surface with flour, dust rolling pin and roll out to a thickness of 1/2 cm/ 1/4 inch. cut into heart shapes. place on a greased baking tray.Heat oven to 180C/ gas 4/ 350F. Bake for 8-10 mins until lightly golden around the edges. place on a wire rack to cool.
When cold decorate with icing until your hearts content.
This amount makes about 50 so you can either eat them all or share with your loved ones as you see fit, I'm not going to judge!
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