Virgo Potens

1 of 2 PRAYER To the Sacred Heart of Jesus O dearest Jesus, Whose Most Amiable Heart excludes not even the greatest sinners if they turn to Thee, grant, we beseech Thee, to me and all penitent sinners a heart like unto Thine; That is, a humble heart that even in the midst of temporal honors loves a hidden life, a life little esteemed by men; A meek heart that bears with all and seeks to be revenged on no one; A patient heart that is resigned in adversity and happy even in the midst of most trying circumstances; (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 29th Are you disturbed and agitated at the thought of the faults you commit, and of your slow progress in acquiring virtue? This is pride, and comes from your presumption in thinking you can do great things of your own strength. But it is necessary to humble ourselves and yet not be discouraged, but to learn of St. Augustine, who says of himself: “The more I lack, the more humble I shall be.” [in Ps. xxxviii] I shall be more humble, if I reflect upon those virtues which I ought to have, and have not. Are you prudent, not trusting in your own ingenuity nor in your own opinions, without caring to ask advice, especially in matters of great importance? This is a great sin against humility, and the Holy Ghost thus admonishes you: “Lean not on thy own prudence: be not wise in thy own conceit.” [Prov. iii, 5, 7] And St. Jerome calls that pride intolerable by which we give others to understand that we are so wise we do not need their advice: “Pride is unbearable, but to account oneself nothing needs counsel.” [cap. i Isa.] ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 29th 131. Do you place yourself in dangerous occasions, saying: “I will not fall into sin,” thus presuming too much on your own strength? St. Gregory says that there is nothing further from humility than such a presumption. “Nothing in man is further removed from humility than reliance upon his own virtue.” [lib. 22, Mor. c. iii] (continued)

PRAYER Dear Sacred Heart of Jesus,  I have asked for many favors, but I plead for this one. [Name your intention.] Take it, place it in Thy Open Broken Heart, and when the Eternal Father sees it covered with the Mantle of Thy Most Precious Blood, He cannot refuse it, for then it is Thy prayer, not mine.  Dear Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee. Amen.

2 of 2 The Piercing of the Sacred Heart 2. Out of His Heart flowed blood and water. That blood is the source of life to sinful man; with it the elect are inebriated, and all the saints before the throne of God have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Reflect on these graces conferred by the Precious Blood, and pray that vou may wash in it and be clean. 3. Out of His Heart too flowed water, that living water of which He said: He that drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall not thirst forever. Of that water the redeemed drink in heaven. Their Lord Himself leads them to the fountains of the water of life. That water now refreshes His servants in this world's weary paths. Jesus, myLord, give me to drink of that living water that shall make me thirst after Thee, and after nought else but Thee. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Piercing of the Sacred Heart 1. When Our Lord had breathed forth His soul into the hands of His Eternal Father, the Sacred Heart could for a time no longer continue its work of love for men. But as if to show that even in death it loved them still, God ordained that it should be pierced by the centurion's lance, and should shed its last drops of blood for man. It was as if He whose lifeless Body hung there was not satisfied with suffering even to death, but needs must show how even in death from His Sacred Body grace and mercy poured forth for the healing of sin. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 28th He always keeps before his eyes the sins he has committed, and his malicious tendency to commit them again. Therefore he esteems himself worse than the Turks, who have not the light of grace, while he has also that of faith; worse than all sinners, that do not realize the gravity of sin, and who have not received so much help of grace as he has; worse than the Jews, “For if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory ” [1 Cor. ii, 8]; worse even than the demons, who sinned only once in thought, whilst he has sinned so often even in action. But do you ever stop to consider these things seriously?” ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 28th 130. Humility teaches us also to hold ourselves unworthy of any good that we may possess, even to the very air that we breathe, and to hold ourselves worthy of all the evils and vituperations of the world. Such are the thoughts of the humble man. (continued)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 28th 130. Humility teaches us also to hold ourselves unworthy of any good that we may possess, even to the very air that we breathe, and to hold ourselves worthy of all the evils and vituperations of the world. Such are the thoughts of the humble man. (continued)

TO THY PURE AND BURNING HEART Hymn To Thy pure and burning Heart, Lord, we come with spirits aching, And, all earthly cares forsaking, In its refuge dwell apart. In Its depths we calmly rest, Safe from Satan's snares descended; And, while love and grief are blended, We repose on Thy fond breast. CHORUS Gracious Lord, in Thy blest Heart There are dews of grace and meekness, There is strength for all our weakness In Thy strong and tender Heart. There will come a darksome eve Which will know no earthly morrow, When this world of joy or sorrow We must in our pallor leave. Happy then if we shall be Fearless, from immortal clinging, And, our dying anthem singing, Heart of love, we cling to Thee.—Cho. ~ Catholic School and Sodality Hymnal (1900)

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart in the Tabernacle 2. Nor is this all. When He ascended into heaven. He promised that He would send the Holy Ghost the Paraclete to abide forever with His disciples. But as it were by some Divine afterthought, He seemed not to be satisfied by thus sending the Holy Spirit to take His place. He determined to remain amongst those He loved. In every Tabernacle He waits and watches for the visits of His faithful children, longing for them to come and talk to Him and tell Him their troubles and their needs, their joys and sorrows, their hopes and fears; and He is always ready to listen to and comfort them and to grant their prayers. 3. Yet, alas! how often is He neglected. His loving Heart longs for someone to come and hold converse with Him, but how often it looks and longs in vain for hours, or it may be for days. How have I treated Jesus in the tabernacle? Do I pay Him little visits of love when I can? and tell Him how I love Him, and wish to love Him more ? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Sacred Heart in the Tabernacle 1. Where shall we find a better proof of the love of the Sacred Heart for man than in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar? He was not satisfied with proving His love for men by His Sacrifice on the Cross, but He must needs prolong that Sacrifice to all time. There is no moment in which He is not still offering Himself upon some altar to show that He loves us as much as ever. (continued)

TO THY PURE AND BURNING HEART Hymn To Thy pure and burning Heart, Lord, we come with spirits aching, And, all earthly cares forsaking, In its refuge dwell apart. In Its depths we calmly rest, Safe from Satan's snares descended; And, while love and grief are blended, We repose on Thy fond breast. CHORUS Gracious Lord, in Thy blest Heart There are dews of grace and meekness, There is strength for all our weakness In Thy strong and tender Heart. There will come a darksome eve Which will know no earthly morrow, When this world of joy or sorrow We must in our pallor leave. Happy then if we shall be Fearless, from immortal clinging, And, our dying anthem singing, Heart of love, we cling to Thee.—Cho. ~ Catholic School and Sodality Hymnal (1900)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 27th The proud man dwells more willingly on the little good he does, on the little devotion he feels, than on the thought of the evil he has committed and which he does daily. He puts behind him the multitude of his sins, so that he need not be ashamed and humble himself; and he reflects often upon certain of his minute exercises of Christian piety, so as to indulge his self-complacency, as St. Gregory says: “It is easier for them to see within themselves that which is pleasing to them, than that which is displeasing.” [lib. 22, Mor. c. i] Perhaps you also have this tendency. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 27th The proud man dwells more willingly on the little good he does, on the little devotion he feels, than on the thought of the evil he has committed and which he does daily. He puts behind him the multitude of his sins, so that he need not be ashamed and humble himself; and he reflects often upon certain of his minute exercises of Christian piety, so as to indulge his self-complacency, as St. Gregory says: “It is easier for them to see within themselves that which is pleasing to them, than that which is displeasing.” [lib. 22, Mor. c. i] Perhaps you also have this tendency. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 27th [129.] In the same way with the spiritual life. Do you think yourself virtuous because you sometimes do a little good? You would do well then not to regard yourself as good, but to imagine yourself in Jerusalem repudiated by God, because, as the prophet said, thou art “trusting thy beauty.” [Ezec. xvi, 15] And St. Gregory says of such as you: “The soul hath confidence in its beauty when it takes some good action upon itself.” [Epist. cxxvi] (continued)

INVOCATION Heart of Jesus, burning with love for us, set our hearts on fire with love of Thee. (Roman Breviary) Cor Iesu, flagrans amóre nostri, inflámma cor nostrum amóre tui. (ex Breviario Romano) An indulgence of 500 days. A plenary indulgence on the usual conditions, when this invocation is said with devotion every day for a month (S. C. Ind., July 16,1893; S. P. Ap., March 10, 1933). ~ The Raccolta (1957)

Oh! TAKE ME TO THY SACRED HEART Hymn Oh! take me to Thy Sacred Heart And seal the entrance o'er, That from that home my wayward soul May never wander more: O Jesus' Heart, meek, patient, kind, My soul to Thee I turn; Thou wilt not crush the bruised reed, The sorrowing spirit spurn. O Mary! by the priceless love Which Jesus' Heart bore thee, Pray that my home in life and death That loving Heart may be: Jesus! open wide Thy Heart, And let me rest therein; For weary is my stricken soul Of sorrow and of sin. I've sought for rest and found it not In things of earthly mould; One Heart alone is worth my love— That Heart that ne'er grows cold. Yes, Jesus, take me to Thyself, I'm weary waiting here: I long to lean upon Thy breast, To see and feel Thee near. ~ Catholic School and Sodality Hymnal (1900)

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart in Heaven 2. How is Our Lord employed in heaven? When the Apostle speaks of Him as at the right hand of God, he describes His life as primarily that of an advocate for sinful man. He is always living to make intercession for us (Hebrews vii. 25). He is continually holding out to His Father His hands which bear the marks of the Sacred Wounds, and pleading for sinners. His prayer still is, Father forgive them ! What a consolation for us ! 3. He has another work in heaven which He Himself announced. He told His disciples, I go to prepare a place for you. I go to bestow on you the graces necessary to obtain. I go to help you to fight the battle and win the crown. My Sacred Heart will never be satisfied till you are all here with Me, rejoicing forever before the throne of God. O Jesus, my Lord and myGod! grant that I may not fail of my eternal reward. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Sacred Heart in Heaven 1. Now that Jesus has returned to His throne in heaven, has He forgotten His friends on earth? No, He loves them now as much as ever, nay, He loves them if it be possible better than ever. As the world grows old, and the love of many waxes cold, He entertains a greater pity and compassion and love for those who remain faithful to Him. His Sacred Heart still beats in sympathy with every one of us no less than it did for the poor widow who had lost her son, and for Peter when he denied his Master, or for the disciples in their sorrow and desolation during the three days that He lay in the grave. (continued)