Virgo Potens

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 24th ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ ~ 27.— Tuesday within the Octave of Corpus Christi Sin blotted out by the Blessed Sacrament What is it that hinders our happiness and our union with God? Naught else but sin. If sin could be taken away, all misery would disappear with it. If Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament desires to make us happy, it follows that our past sins are thereby blotted out, and the power of sin weakened or destroyed. How does it do this? 1. It excites in us acts of contrition and love, and each such act helps to cleanse our souls from sin. A perfect act of love is incompatible with any deliberate attachment even to any venial sin, and every act of love diminishes the attachment and washes away the guilt. Hence remember to make many acts of contrition and of love in [the] presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and whenever you receive holy Communion. (continued)

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart at Gethsemane 2. Why was Our Lord at this time so shorn of His strength and courage? Because then He took upon Himself in detail the sins of the world. His Sacred Heart suffered for them the same blackness of desolation and distress as if they were His own. He voluntarily deprived Himself of every source of comfort, and allowed Himself to feel the effects of sin as none could feel them save one who saw the nature of sin as God sees it. 3. One of the lessons to be learned from the awful scene of Christ's Agony is the effect of sin wnen given its full scope, and its power to destroy the beauty and the strength even of God made Man. If it could work such havoc in the Son of God, what must it do in us? If they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 23rd ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ The Sacred Heart at Gethsemane 1. During Our Lord's Sacred Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His mental desolation and distress seem to have been more intense, more crushing, than at any subsequent part of His Sacred Passion, saving only when on the Cross He cried: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" During the rest of the Passion He seemed almost to rejoice, but in the Garden He was beaten down, full of terror and sadness, scarce able to endure, pale and haggard and ghastly under the agony of soul that overwhelmed Him. In your desolation think of the utter desolation of the Sacred Heart, and claim its sympathy for you. (continued)

2 of 2 ~ 26.— Monday within the Octave of Corpus Christi 2. But how does the Blessed Sacrament promote our happiness? It is the means appointed by Almighty God to increase in us continually that sanctifying grace on which our happiness in heaven depends. Each time we receive holy Communion in good dispositions, this wondrous channel of grace pours fresh grace into our hearts, makes us more beautiful in God's sight, more fit for the company of the angels and saints in heaven. How greatly, then, ought I to value holy Communion! 3. The Blessed Sacrament does more than this. It also of itself obtains for us actual graces. Those who often receive holy Communion have more inspirations from Almighty God, and more help to avail themselves of them. Each such inspiration, if accepted, will add to our happiness both here and in heaven to all eternity. Especially after receiving it, God gives actual graces that He does not give at other times, and inspirations enabling us to know and do His will. While Jesus is our guest, present within us, He cannot refuse to give us all we ask. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 23rd ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ ~ 26.— Monday within the Octave of Corpus Christi Grace increased by the Blessed Sacrament 1. Our Lord's desire to be with us and to unite us to Himself cannot be for His own sake. It is simply in order to promote our happiness that He has instituted the Blessed Sacrament. He loves to see His children happy, and His one object in the sacrament of His love is that He may have the happiness of seeing us happy. It was for this that He instituted the Blessed Eucharist; it is for this that He continues to abide in the tabernacle and to give Himself to us. What greater proof can He give us than this of His devoted love and unselfish generosity? (continued)

ASPIRATION Aimé soit partout le Sacré Cœur de Jésus. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved.

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart of Jesus among His Enemies 2. Yet how gentle He is to all, how for bearing, how sweet and patient and winning in His demeanor. They must indeed have been hard and wicked not to have yielded to the fascination of His Divine attractiveness. Yet so it was: they hated Him just because of His meekness, His charity, His holiness. So it is now. The more clearly the beauty of the Church, the Spouse of Christ, shows forth, the more men seem to hate her. 3. The Sacred Heart, however, with all its divine gentleness, was very stern in dealing with one class of sinners. All who were leading others wrong were the object of the fierce wrath and indignation of Jesus. This wrath was the more terrible just because of His very gentleness. How He denounces those who give scandal and those who are the occasion of sin to others! If I have ever led others into sin, I have good cause to tremble before the wrath of the Lamb ! ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 22nd ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ The Sacred Heart of Jesus among His Enemies 1. There is nothing more painful to the tender heart of one who loves his fellows than to be surrounded with those who look coldly on him, misunderstand him, misinterpret his words, misconstrue his actions. Such a life is in itself a perpetual martyrdom. Such was the life of Jesus. What continual pain and anguish and desolation He must have endured from His youth up, from the hostility of His townsfolk, His own relations, the scribes and Pharisees, the ancients and the rulers. (continued)

2 of 2 ~ 25.— Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi 2. True gratitude aims at returning like for like. It is not content to be outdone in generosity. It seeks, if possible, to repay with greater favors the favors shown to it. If I desire to be generous, what sort of return ought I to make to Christ my Lord forgiving Himself to me in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar? Can I ever do enough for Him in return for what He has done for me? What sacrifice that I can make is more than an infinitesimal part of what I ought to do for Him? 3. Gratitude requires of us that if we cannot surpass our benefactor in liberality, we should at least be on a level with him. Is it possible ever to come up to the generosity of Jesus Christ in humbling Himself for my sake to the form of a little piece of bread? If for millions of years I were to sacrifice to Him health, comfort, reputation, I should still not have done a million-millionth part of all He has done for me. What can I do? I can simply tell Him that I will give Him myself and all I have, and that I would fain give more. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 22nd ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ ~ 25.— Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi The Return of Love for Love 1. We all of us shrink from the charge of ingratitude. Whatever else we may be, we flatter ourselves that we are not ungrateful, that we love those who love us, and seek to repay our benefactors with affection and gratitude, if not with some positive and substantial return for all they have done for us. I should not like to be deemed ungrateful. I should resist the imputation of ingratitude. Yet can I say that I am grateful to Christ Jesus for all His wonderful love to me? (continued)

NOVENA to the PRECIOUS BLOOD June 22nd ~ June 30th Begins tomorrow at Christus Regnat ~ https://t.me/RexUniversi

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 21st ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ The Sorrows of the Sacred Heart 1. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is nothing else than a history of continual sorrow. He is termed in Holy Scripture "the Man of sorrows." Sorrowful He came into the world : in sorrow He grew up to manhood. In sorrow He gazed into the hearts of men, and saw there what He hated most. In sorrow He witnessed their refusal to listen to His divine call. In sorrow—bitter sorrow— He watched the falling away of one of the chosen twelve. In sorrow He heard of the denial of St. Peter. In sorrow He was betrayed, mocked, scourged, crucified. Was there ever sorrow like His? (continued)

2 of 2 ~ 24.— Saturday within the Octave of Corpus Christi 2. But His love has not yet exhausted itself. With an extravagant generosity passing our powers of comprehension, He has determined to give Himself to be His children's food, and, in so doing, to give them at the same time eternal life. As He Himself says, "He that eateth Me shall live by Me." He desires to unite Himself to us in bonds of the closest union. He desires to be wholly ours, that we may thus become wholly His. Who save a God would ever have devised such a means as this of satisfying His love? 3. What, too, was involved in the adoption of this means? How many frightful insults and outrages inflicted on Him! How many sacrilegious Communions! Sometimes the trampling underfoot of the sacred Host, sometimes still more terrible profanation! Jesus knew to what He was rendering Himself liable when He chose this means of showing His love,and deliberately chose it. O my Jesus, how can I ever love Thee as I ought in return for such love as this! ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Hoc est corpus meum. This is my Body. Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 21st ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ ~ 24.— Saturday within the Octave of Corpus Christi Further Proofs of Jesus' Love for us 1. Our Lord is not satisfied with mystically dying for us day by day upon the altar. He in His incredible love must go still further. He must remain in every church all the day and all the night, unable, so to speak, to tear Himself away from those He loves. In spite of all man's base ingratitude and cruel neglect, He still cries out, with that insatiable ardor of His love, "My delight is to be with the sons of men." Was there ever love like His? (continued)

2 of 2 The Sorrows of the Sacred Heart 2. What caused Him the greatest sorrow of all? The ingratitude of man. There is nothing that wounds so deeply as love rejected; and this is what Jesus felt every moment of His life. There was never love such as His, and therefore never such sorrow as when it was rejected. O my Jesus! I, too, have returned Thee unkindness, coldness,neglect. Forgive me the sorrow I have caused Thee, and make me love Thee more and more. 3. Was it only here and there that the Sacred Heart of Jesus met with this cause for sorrow? Alas! it was an universal sorrow, not a single child of Adam but added to this sorrow. Even the greatest saints did not return love for love as they ought; all caused Christ to sorrow. All save one; the peerless one, the immaculate, the ever faithful Mother of God. O Mary, pray for me, that I may never again cause sorrow to the Sacred Heart. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 21st ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ The Sorrows of the Sacred Heart 1. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is nothing else than a history of continual sorrow. He is termed in Holy Scripture "the Man of sorrows." Sorrowful He came into the world : in sorrow He grew up to manhood. In sorrow He gazed into the hearts of men, and saw there what He hated most. In sorrow He witnessed their refusal to listen to His divine call. In sorrow—bitter sorrow— He watched the falling away of one of the chosen twelve. In sorrow He heard of the denial of St. Peter. In sorrow He was betrayed, mocked, scourged, crucified. Was there ever sorrow like His? (continued)

2 of 2 The Disappointments of the Sacred Heart 2. Yet how often the brilliant promise comes to nothing, or next to nothing. The soul which might have risen to a high degree of sanctity and enjoying continual peace and joy, is still battling with passion, anger, sloth, impatience, self-indulgence, vanity, distastes for the things of God, jealousy and ill-feeling, uncharitableness in thought and word. How is it that so little progress has been made? How is it that the Sacred Heart of Jesus has been disappointed of His desire for a complete possession of the heart that He loved? 3. Alas! it is the old story. Unfaithfulness to grace in little things. He spoke plainly enough, asking for some little sacrifice, and was refused. He asked again and another refusal. At length He ceased to ask, or the unfaithful soul ceased to hear His voice. What a sad disappointment for Him! What an irreparable loss for the soul that was thus ungrateful to the invitations of her Divine Spouse! Is not this my case? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 20th ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ The Disappointments of the Sacred Heart 1. We often see a morning that opens bright and fair, clouded over before midday, and the afternoon dark and gloomy, ending in storm and desolation. So, too, there is many a life that opens with the happiest promise; a natural attraction to piety, great graces, good influences, an amicable character give hopes that he to whom these privileges are given will turn out an eminent servant of God, and love with an ever-increasing devotion the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (continued)

2 of 2 THE SACRED HEART (continued from above) 3 In the womb of maiden meek, In the cradle, on the tree, Heart of undying love, It lived, loved, broke for me: While around me thunders peal, Yet as then behold me now, By Thy pierced and wounded Hands, By Thy torn and bleeding Brow. 4 O voice of the inward ear! O voice of complaining love! O Thou that art awful God! To realms below and above, Thou waitest and pleadest here, And can’st not from us part, O veiled and wondrous Son! O love of the Sacred Heart! ~ The Catholic Hymnal (1860)