Behold the heart that has loved men so much

As has been already said the Devotion of all devotions is love for Jesus Christ, and frequent meditation on the love which this amiable Redeemer has borne us and still bears us.

A devout author laments, and most justly, the sight of so many persons who pay much attention to the practice of various devotions, but neglect this; of so many preachers and confessors who say a great many things but speak so little of love for Jesus Christ; whereas love for Jesus Christ ought to be the principal, indeed the only, devotion of a Christian. Therefore the only object and care of preachers and confessors towards their hearers and penitents ought to be to recommend to them constantly, and to inflame their hearts with, the love of Jesus Christ. This neglect is the reason why souls make so little progress in virtue, and remain grovelling in the same defects, and even frequently relapse into grievous sins because they take but little care, and are not sufficiently admonished to acquire the love of Jesus Christ, which is that golden cord which unites and binds the soul to God.

For this sole purpose did the Eternal Word come into this world, to make Himself loved. I am come to cast fire upon the earth, and what will I but that it be kindled? (Luke xii. 49). For this purpose did the Eternal Father send Him into the world in order that He might make known to us His love, and thus obtain ours in return; and He protests that He will love us in the same proportion that we love Jesus Christ: For the Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me (Jo. xvi. 27).

Moreover, He gives us His graces as far as we ask for them in the Name of His Son: If you ask the Father anything in my name he will give it to you. And He will admit us to the eternal beatitude in so far as He finds us conformable to the life of Jesus Christ. For whom he foreknew he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his son (Rom. viii. 29). But we shall never acquire this conformity, nor even ever desire it, if we are not given to meditation upon the love which Jesus Christ has borne us.

For this same purpose it is related in the Life of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a nun of the Order of the Visitation, that our Saviour revealed His wish to this His servant, that in our times the Devotion and Feast of the Sacred Heart should be established and propagated in the Church. In this way, devout souls would, by their adoration and prayer, make reparation for the injuries His Heart constantly receives from ungrateful men when He is exposed in the Blessed Sacrament upon the altar. It is also related that while this devout virgin was one day praying before the Most Holy Sacrament, Jesus Christ showed her His Heart surrounded by thorns, with a cross on the top and in a throne of flames, and He spoke thus to her: "Behold the Heart that has so much loved men, and has spared nothing for love of them, even to consuming Itself to give them pledges of Its love, but Which receives from the majority of mankind no other recompense but ingratitude and insults towards the Sacrament of My Love: and what grieves Me most is that hearts consecrated to Me treat Me thus."

Then He urged her to use her utmost endeavours to secure that a particular Feast, the First Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi, should be celebrated in honour of His Divine Heart. And this for three reasons: (1) In order that the faithful might return thanks to Him for the great Gift which He has left them in the Adorable Eucharist. (2) In order that loving souls might make amends by their prayers and pious affections for the irreverences and insults which He has received and still receives from sinners in the Most Holy Sacrament. (3) In order that they might make reparation for the neglect He meets with in so many churches where He is so little adored and reverenced.

He promised that He would endow with the riches of His Sacred Heart those who should render Him this honour, both on the day of this Feast, and on every other day when they should visit Him in the Most Holy Sacrament.