I almost didn’t make it, writing about the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart. I figured that if you’re a sober Catholic, or still trying to become one, then you’ve probably already learned of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart and have incorporated it into your Catholic ‘spiritual toolkit’. The day is almost over where I live and I searched old blog posts from the past on the Sacreed Heart, and decided to write a quickie post. I selected four of these to bring to your attention. In no particular order, they can help you in getting the basics of the Devotion:
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
I intend to “kick it up a notch” or two in writing about this Devotion; in part because of the Spiritual Warfare going on all around us, but I also want to write more about Divine Mercy Devotion, and that recent devotion is essentially a refresh of the more ancient Sacred Heart. Linking the two might be useful in these times of trial and suffering. It’ll get worse before it gets better.
Anyway, in my reversion to the Church over 2001-02, I fell in love with the Divine Mercy Devotion and have over the next decade-and-a-half only slowly grown to appreciate and include the Sacred Heart Devotion. This book has help immeasurably:
It is an excellent book, a classic on the Devotion and it far exceeds any other book I know of on the history, practice, means and reasons to do it. Numerous prayers and meditations are in it, including some written by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (the mystic who recieved the Devotion from Our Lord Himself.) It in you’ll find everything you need to know to practice the Devotion. It’s a wonderful book to take to Eucharistic Adoration. This should be on every sober Catholic’s bookshelf. All of the Promises that Our Lord made to St. Margaret Mary to those who practice the Devotion are included, and detailed. And there are more than the Twelve usually listed in prayer books.
(In short, the Devotion to the Sacred Heart is about the love Jesus has for us, from the Incarnation through His Death and Resurrection, through to today in the gift of the Blessed Sacrament; and our response to that love, which includes prayer and acts of sacrifice and reparation for those who disdain Jesus and His Church.)
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Know someone, perhaps yourself, who might like Catholic devotionals for alcoholics? Please take a look at my books! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)