Visit 19 Jesus Eucharistic His Most Sacred Heart

I. "It is the heart of Jesus which spoke when He said: ‘My Father, I wish that where I am, My disciples be with Me.’ "—Bossuet.

II. " How pleasing to the heart of Jesus are those who visit Him often and who love to keep Him company in the church where He dwells in His sacrament."—St. Alphonsus Liguori.

III. "Since the Sacred Heart has no more cherished law than meekness, humility, and charity, we must cling to these dear virtues."—St. Francis de Sales.

CONSIDERATIONS.
Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, though distinct and separate, one from the other, are nevertheless most intimately related. When we honor the Sacred Heart our eyes are fixed on the adorable heart of Our Savior pierced for man on the cross, and consumed with love for us. When we adore the Blessed Sacrament we see with the eyes of faith the body and blood, the soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, whole and entire. In honoring the Sacred Heart we look upon it as a symbol of the love with which the heart of Jesus is inflamed towards men; in the Blessed Sacrament we are the possessors of the main effects of this love. Let us remember that this adorable heart, which is the special object of our worship, has its dwelling-place in the body of Jesus Christ which is really and substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament. dddLove makes us desire the constant presence of the object of our love. It is this love and this desire that makes Jesus Christ reside with us in the Most Holy Sacrament. It is in this sacrament of His love that He shows His heart to us as He showed it to Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque, and here it is that He calls us more earnestly to Him. The object of the devotion to the Sacred Heart is to make reparation for the injuries the heart of Jesus constantly receives from ungrateful men when He is exposed in the Blessed Sacrament upon the altar. That it is His wish that devout souls should, by their adoration and prayer, make reparation for these injuries w evident from the circumstances and the words of the revelations concerning the Sacred He'art. It was during the octave of Corpus Christi that Jesus Christ appeared to Blessed Margaret Mary and displayed to her His loving and amiable heart. He unfolded to her the inexplicable wonders of His pure love, and to what an excess He had carried it for the love of men, from whom He had received only ingratitude. ddd"Jesus Christ, my sweet Master, pre sented Himself to me," writes Blessed Margaret Mary. "He was brilliant with glory; His five wounds shone like five suns. Blames darted forth from all parts of His sacred humanity, but especially from His adorable breast, which resembled a furnace, and which, opening, displayed to me His loving and amiable heart, the living source of these flames." The Sacred Heart was surmounted by a cross, and encircled with a crown of thorns. dddThen her divine Master said to her: "Behold this heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love. In return I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this sacrament of love. And what is most painful to Me," added the Savior, in a-tone that went to the Sister’s heart, " is that they are hearts consecrated to Me." Then He commanded to have established in the church e. particular feast to honor His sacred heart. " It is for this reason I ask thee that the first Friday after the octave of the Blessed Sacrament be appropriated to a special feast, to honor My heart by communicating on that day, and making reparation for the indignity that it has received. And I promise that My heart shall dilate to pour out abundantly the influences of its love on all that will render it this honor or procure its being rendered." dddContemplate most earnestly, 0 Christian soul, this picture of the Sacred Heart; meditate on the plaintive words of the Sacred Heart in the sacrament of love, and resolve to respond most fervently to all Our Savior’s wishes. The Church herself in the Divine Office shows us the motive of the worship we render the Sacred Heart when she declares that the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was established " in order that, under the symbol of the Sacred Heart, the faithful honor with more devotion and fervor the charity, the love‘of Jesus Christ, which led Him not only to suffer and to die for the redemption of the human race, but also to institute the sacrament of His body and blood in commemoration of His death." May the heart of Jesus be everywhere loved! dddACT OF REPARATION AND CONSECRATION TO THE
SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 0 Sacred Heart of my living Savior, how sensible to our miseries has thy charity rendered Thee! 0 my God, what goodness for Thee to place Thyself a victim for us in the Most Adorable Eucharist! And yet what dost Thou see in the hearts of the greater part of mankind but rebellion against Thy will and ingratitude for Thy benefits. Was it not enough, 0 my Jesus, to have abandoned Thyself to a cruel agony in the Garden of Olives, when Thou didst bear the weight of all our sins? dddWas it not enough to have bought our souls at the price of Thy blood and Thy death? Was it necessary that Thy ungrateful and perfidious children should dare each day to renew the torments which Thou didst endure in the course of Thy Passion, and by fresh wounds to tear open Thy sacred heart? Where can we find hearts so hard, that they are not touched at the sight of the outrages inflicted on Thee? Prostrate and annihilated before Thee, 0 my Redeemer, permit me this day to make Thee some reparation for all the injuries with which men do not cease to load Thee, and for all the bitterness in which Thy divine heart is immersed. dddI wish I could water and pu rify with my tears all those places where Thou art most offended, and by my sentiments of burning love, repair the abuse and contempt which is shown of Thy graces by the scandals, profanations, and sacrileges that are committed among Thy children. Would that I had possession of all hearts to offer them to Thee in sacrifice and to console Thee by this homage for the guilty insensibility of those who will not know Thee, or who, knowing Thee, have not loved Thee. At least, 0 Lord, I offer Thee myself; immolate me, consume me as Thy victim, grant that I may now begin to love Thee alone, and that after having once consecrated my heart to Thee, I may never take it back again; grant that I may find in Thy heart an asylum in this world, peace at the hour of death, and my blessedness for all eternity. 0 Heart of Jesus, mayest Thou be known, praised, . adored, and loved by all creatures throughout the universe, now and forever. Amen.

Our Lady of the Most Holy Sacrament! Our Lady of the Sacred Heart! Mother and model of adorers, pray for us, who have recourse to thee.

St. Joseph, pray for us, that like thee, we may die in the arms of Jesus and Mary.


PRAYER TO THE HOLY GHOST
0 Holy Ghost, Thou Teacher and Sanctifier, Who givest light and strength to my soul, bless me that I may be more faithful to Jesus, my Savior and my God, Who is hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, and that I may love Him more and more. In the light of the tabernacle I ask of Thee, 0 Holy Spirit, to fill my heart with pure desire for Jesus, the Living Bread. Give me grace to adore Him with the zeal and humble ven­eration of the holy angels; grant that His will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, and that His will be done in my soul. Help me to thank Him for all His gifts, and, most of all, for Himself. By this Holy Sacrament He strengthens souls on earth, gives rest to souls in purgatory, and gladdens souls in heaven. He is the hidden manna, promised by Himself to all who overcome them­selves and love Him. May I taste the sweetness of Jesus! Set up more and more Thy kingdom in my soul, that I may keep my body under and bring it to subjection, lest I should be a castaway from Jesus and from Thee.

SPIRTUAL COMMUNION
0 Jesus, my Savior, Who art truly present in the Blessed Sacrament for the nourishment of our souls! since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, I humbly and earnestly beseech Thee to re­fresh me spiritually. I love Thee above all things and I desire to possess Thee within my soul. Come into my mind to illumine it with the light of heaven; come into my heart to enkindle therein the fire of Thy love. Unite me so intimately with Thee, that it may be no more I that live, but Thou that livest and reigneth in me forever.



FRUIT OF THE VISIT.
I. Behold Christ seated in thy heart as the Giver of grace, •with His sweet voice calling thee out of darkness into light: regard thyself aj one dead, found feet and hands with winding-bands, lying n the sepulchre with a stone laid over it (John :i. 38, 44).

II. Love Him with tender love, as the holy apostles oved Him; that so thou mayest not be able to bear to be torn from Him for a single moment.

III. Ask Him for the spirit of Meekness; that, earning from Him because He is meek and humtie of heart, thou mayest be converted, and enterhe kingdom of Heaven (Matt. xi. 29; xviii. 3).

EUCHARISTIC GEMS.
Promises of Our Lord Jesus Christ to St. Margaret Mary Alaccque in favor of those devoted to His Sacred Heart.
1. I will give them all the graces nesessary for their state in life.
2. I will establish peace in their families.
3. I wil console them in all their afflictions.
4. I will be their assured refuge in life, and more especially at death
5. I will pour out abundant benedictions on all heir undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in My hear the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall advance rapidly to great perfection.
9. I will bless the houses in which the image of My sacred heart shall be exposed and honored. My sacred heart shall be exposed and honored.
10. I will give to priests the gift of moving the most hardened hearts.
11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names inscribed in my heart, never to be effaced from it.
12. I promise thee, in the excess of the mercy of My heart, that its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive communion on the first Friday of every month, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence, and that they shall not die under my displeasure, nor without receiving their sacraments, and My heart shall be their secure refuge at that last hour. dddHymn to the Sacred Heart in the Blessed Sacra ment.
0 Heart of Jesus, pierced for me,
Pierce with thy love this heart of mine;
Let me with humble trust in thee
Within thy snored wounds recline ;
For, 0 dear Lord, I love that heart,
That broke for me on Calvary's tree;
Temptation ne'er again shall part
My Savior and His love from me,
I love on those sweet vt on nds to think
Which Jesus bore for my poor sake,
I love of that dear 1 lond to drink
Which He from Mary’*' veins did take
I love with, solemn thoughts to come
To meet my Monarch on His throne,
In this His lowly,,earthly home,
To love and call Him all my own.
How little, oft, am I inclined
To come and kneel where Jesus lives.
How feebly I desire to find
The blessing He so freely gives.
Too easily my thoughts will stray
From contemplation of His love,
Too soon my mind roams far away
From thoughts of my bright home above.
Collect, dear Lord, each wandering thought,
Help me to fix my soul on Thee,
That soul, which Thy sweet wounds have bought, .
Shall never wander far from Thee.
Then, oh! my Jesus, Thou shalt be
My soul and body's all in all,
From this world’s tempting bondage free,
Before Thy presence. Lord, I’ll fall.
Oh! give me, Lord, the grace to feel
Still more of that devout intent,
Which loves its happiness to seal
In Thy Most Holy Sacrament.
Inflame my heart, by Thy sweet power,
With ardent, burning love for Thee,
Increasing, daily, hour by hour,
Still on to all eternity.
"Sunday-School Hymn-Book of Sistehs of Notre Dame."