Virgo Potens

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)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 26th Do you delight and glory in your knowledge, your power, your riches, or in some other gift natural or moral? Remember the word God spoke by the Prophet Jeremiah: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, and let not the strong man glory in his strength, and let not the rich man glory in his riches.” [Jer. i, 23] And again by St. Paul: “We ought not to please ourselves.” [Rom. xv, 1] This delight and glory insinuates itself insensibly, but he who is humble notices it quickly and repels it as being nothing but vanity and only puffing up and filling the heart with pride. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 26th 129. Do you forget your own nothingness? Have you any self-esteem? If such be the case you are a seducer, a deceiver of your own self, because, as St. Paul says: Whoever believes himself to be something “deceiveth himself.” [Gal. vi, 3] (continued)

ALL FOR THEE Hymn All for Thee, O Heart of Jesus, All for Thee eternally, Naught for me, O Heart of Jesus, Save to be beloved by Thee. CHORUS. All for Thee, O Heart of Jesus All for Thee in life and death, All for Thee, dear Heart of Jesus, Till my latest dying breath, All for Thee, all for Thee. Not an object in this wide world Can true joy to me impart, Not an interest can allure me Save the glory of Thy Heart.—Chorus All for Thee, O Heart of Jesus, All the daily inward strife, All the soul's sharp crucifixion. All the weariness of life.—Chorus Thou hast taught me, O my Saviour, Where alone the heart finds rest, I have learned 'tis sweet to suffer, Pillowed on Thy Sacred Breast.—Chorus ~ Catholic School and Sodality Hymnal (1900)

Sweet Heart of Jesus Hymn 1 Sweet Heart of Jesus! my God, my Friend, In life and in death my soul defend; In joy and sorrow, in good and ill, Sweet Heart of Jesus, protect me still. 2 My joy, Thy glory; my hope, Thy Name, Sweet Heart of Jesus, my heart inflame; Grant I may never dessert Thy side; Sweet Heart of Jesus, be Thou my guide. 3 Let not Thy precious blood be in vain; Sweet Heart of Jesus, my will sustain; When I am tempted and sorely tried, Make me remember Thee crucified. 4 Help me to lead poor sinners to Thee; Fill me with zeal and charity; Teach me the holy and saving art Of teaching others to love Thy heart. ~ English and Latin Hymns (1884)

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart after the Resurrection 2. The chief point which Our Lord seems desirous to secure in His friends is that they should be at peace: at peace in themselves, and at peace with all around them. He knew that without peace no one can ever make progress, no society can prosper. This is why the peace-makers are so dear to His Sacred Heart, and why He gives them the title of being pre-eminently the children of God. Have I peace in my soul? and do I foster and promote peace around me? 3. Our Lord also seems to be grieved at any doubt or incredulity among His followers respecting the Resurrection. He cannot bear the sceptical spirit, He loves the spirit of simple faith. When we hear of some miracle in the physical or moral order, we ought to desire to believe it and to lean to the side of acceptance. The wish to believe will not make us foolishly credulous; it will rather quicken our instinctive per ception of truth. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Sacred Heart after the Resurrection 1. When Our Blessed Lord rose again from the dead, His apostles were at first struck with mingled fear and joy. He in His turn seeks to reassure them, condescends to eat with them, to let them touch Him, encourages in them a loving familiarity. Jesus in the love of His Sacred Heart does not like men to be afraid of Him—on the contrary, we cannot have too implicit a confidence in Him; we cannot go too far in reverent affection for His Sacred Heart. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 25th When you have dreams of dignity and honour, and you imagine yourself in the midst of grandeur and chimerical honours, how do you behave in these proud and vain imaginings? Do you rejoice and delight in them, desiring to dwell in them more and more? If we love humility we must treat these dreams of worldly ambition and pride with disdain and hatred, just as those who love chastity treat impure thoughts. We ought to pray thus with King David: “Let not the foot of pride come unto me,” because pride first enters into the soul through the thoughts of the mind, and he who accustoms himself to delight in these thoughts has already formed the bad habit of pride in his heart. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

“Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self; the heavenly by the love of God.” ~ Saint Augustine Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 25th Examen on Humility Towards Oneself RICHARD of St. Victor [lib. 2, cap. xxiii, De Epul. inter Hom.] defines humility as the interior contempt of oneself. Examine a little whether you have this feeling towards yourself. (continued)

Sweet Heart of Jesus Hymn 1 Sweet Heart of Jesus! my God, my Friend, In life and in death my soul defend; In joy and sorrow, in good and ill, Sweet Heart of Jesus, protect me still. 2 My joy, Thy glory; my hope, Thy Name, Sweet Heart of Jesus, my heart inflame; Grant I may never dessert Thy side; Sweet Heart of Jesus, be Thou my guide. 3 Let not Thy precious blood be in vain; Sweet Heart of Jesus, my will sustain; When I am tempted and sorely tried, Make me remember Thee crucified. 4 Help me to lead poor sinners to Thee; Fill me with zeal and charity; Teach me the holy and saving art Of teaching others to love Thy heart. ~ English and Latin Hymns (1884)