Iva Beranek
This simple ‘God-incidence’ is like Heaven affirming the decision for this year’s consecration writes, Iva Beranek
ost of us are truly unaware how deeply we are loved by God. But we are also unaware how people around us are loved, as well. We’d have more peace, joy and trust in difficulties with the first awareness, and less social issues with the latter. The Cross, after all, has a vertical and horizonal dimension – God’s love reaching from Heaven directly into our hearts, and into the world around us. Jesus showed us His profound love while He was on Earth, especially through His death and Resurrection. Both in His time and to the present day we have not been able to fully take in what He has done. Perhaps these were some of the reasons why Jesus chose to give us a deeper revelation into His Sacred Heart.
Devotion
The devotion to His Heart started to develop in 11th and 12th century and then continued with St Francis of Assisi who contemplated the sacred wounds of Jesus, especially the wound on His side – the wound of His heart. St Francis entered into the mystery of the Lord’s passion with such love that he himself received stigmata, the sacred wounds of Christ on his hands, feet and in his side. In the last few centuries, this devotion to the Sacred Heart took a more particular character.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells His disciples, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). Often, He reminds us of and teaches us further in His saints. On December 27, 1673, Jesus started appearing to a Visitation nun, St Mary Margaret Alacoque, living in a monastery in Paray-le-Monial, France. What we now know as the revelations of the Sacred Heart continued until 1675. Jesus revealed His love of humanity to Margaret Mary through a Heart burning with love, yet it was a Heart that was suffering, thirsty for others to know His love.
It is often Jesuits who have nurtured and spread this devotion, especially the First Fridays, which are now dedicated to honouring the Sacred Heart of Jesus”
In Ireland, the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has been so widespread that many Catholic households used to have an image of the Sacred Heart, with a lamp next to it. This devotion was part of everyday life and integral part of the Irish culture. Even though the devotion decreased in the recent years, people still often pray, “Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You”. Annually around June, novena to the Sacred Heart takes place in many local churches. St Margaret Mary’s spiritual director was a Jesuit priest, St Claude de la Colombiere. As a result, it is often Jesuits who have nurtured and spread this devotion, especially the First Fridays, which are now dedicated to honouring the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
I was in Rome this year during the Holy Week, and it struck me how many beautiful paintings of the Sacred Heart are in so many churches around Rome. I have had an image of the Sacred Heart for years in my home, too. Every time I had to move house this image would come with me, reminding me that with all the changes in life, my true Home doesn’t change – as He is the home we all long for.
Passion Sunday
On Passion Sunday in 1873, the Irish bishops consecrated Ireland to the Sacred Heart for the first time. It was a very difficult time in Ireland, only 20 years after the famine. People’s daily bread for so many years was that of suffering, and the country needed hope that only God can give. Ireland was the first country ever to consecrate the whole nation to the Sacred Heart at the time was under the British Rule, so naturally this was a spiritual consecration, not a political endeavour.
This year Ireland’s consecrated to the Sacred Heart will be renewed on 22nd June in Knock. In this year of Jubilee we in Ireland are going to be given an extra grace! I spoke with one of the promoters of this year’s consecration, Caroline Homes, who said, “The Bishops that consecrated Ireland in 1873 were very aware of the Irish who have emigrated because of the famine. The words of the consecration were very clear that the consecration was not only for there and then, but it was forever, and for the Irish everywhere”.
The connection between Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart devotion became more explicit in our time with scientific studies of the Eucharistic miracles”
Bishop Eamon Martin decided to remind us of the original consecration by choosing to consecrate Ireland again this year. When the date was looked at, the only date available in Knock was 22nd June, which turns out to be Corpus Christi Sunday. This simple ‘God-incidence’ is like Heaven affirming the decision for this year’s consecration. Corpus Christi is a religious feast that celebrates Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist: body, blood, soul and divinity. The connection between Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart devotion became more explicit in our time with scientific studies of the Eucharistic miracles, which is a term used when a consecrated Host visibly turns into flesh and blood.
Every time we go to Mass and receive the Eucharist, we are taking Jesus’s Heart into our body and soul, to find home within us. We need to treasure this beautiful invitation by Christ to use the sanctuary of our hearts as His home and dwelling place.
Novena
In the weeks leading up to the consecration in Knock in June, a novena of evening Masses over nine Fridays is taking place in nine different locations around the country, with a different local bishop presiding. Concelebrating these Masses are the clergy involved directly with the Sacred Heart Crusade, a nationwide spiritual initiative that promotes the concretion: Fr John Mockler, Fr Eamonn McCarthy and Dom Basil McCabe. Two lay women, Liz Whyte and Caroline Holmes are also involved.
During the evening Masses, the relics of St Margaret Mary Alacoque and St Claude de la Colombiere SJ, from Paray-le-Monial, are present and people can venerate them before or after the Mass. This year marks 350th anniversary since Jesus appeared to St Margaret Mary. In John 14:12 Jesus tells his disciples, “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father”. The greatest work of all is – love. Consecration to the Sacred Heart calls us into a commitment to love like Christ did – with our whole life, and show it to the world.
Dr Iva Beranek is an experienced speaker, a published poet and author, with a PhD in Christian spirituality. She published two children’s books, Veronica’s Bookstore and its sequel The Year of Celebrations is published this year on May 26. Both are available on Amazon. You can follow Iva and contact her on Instagram @ivadublin