Sacred Heart
The Burning Love of Jesus Christ for Humanity
What Is Devotion to the Sacred Heart?
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus honors the physical Heart of Christ as the sign and image of His divine love for mankind.
The Heart of Jesus reveals His mercy, compassion, patience, and burning charity for sinners. It reminds us that the Son of God truly became man and loved us with a human heart.
The Meaning of the Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is often shown surrounded by flames, crowned with thorns, pierced, and marked with the Cross.
The flames represent the love of Christ. The thorns recall the sins and ingratitude that wound His Heart. The wound points to His Passion, when blood and water flowed from His side for the life of the Church.
Reparation and Love
Devotion to the Sacred Heart calls Catholics to respond to the love of Jesus with love, gratitude, repentance, and reparation.
Reparation means offering prayer, sacrifice, and acts of love to console the Heart of Christ for sins, indifference, irreverence, and ingratitude.
Ways to Practice This Devotion
- Pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart.
- Make a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament.
- Observe the First Friday devotion.
- Consecrate yourself or your home to the Sacred Heart.
- Receive Holy Communion with love and reverence.
- Offer small sacrifices in reparation for sin.
A Simple Prayer
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You. Teach me to love You more deeply, to repent sincerely, and to offer my life in union with Your mercy and love.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.