Novena in preparation for the Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
FOURTH DAY
The proper acts of this devotion
- First Act: Love
The Sacred Heart of Jesus merits our love because He loved us first. He loved us as God, from eternity, with an infinite love, and loved us as Man.
As Pius XII said, ‘‘therefore, the Heart of Jesus Christ, hypostatically united to the divine Person of the Word, certainly beats with love and with the other emotions- but these, joined to a human will full of divine charity and to the infinite love itself which the Son shares with the Father and the Holy Spirit, were in such complete unity and agreement that never among these three loves was there any contradiction of or disharmony.” (Pius XII, Encyclical Haurietis Aquas)
Jesus not only loved humanity in a general way, but on the contrary, He particularly loved every single man. Every act of His life, every sacrifice, and privation during His hidden life, every word of His peaching, and every pain in His passion was entirely offered for my soul out of His immense love. He loved me as if I alone existed in the world.
Christ’s eternal and infinite love has never fallen short. He proves this by leaving Himself in the Consecrated Host: ‘‘I will be with you until the end of time’’ (Mt 28:20). In every Holy Mass, He continues to shower the fruits of His Passion and Cross upon us and will continue to do so until the end of time. The Sacred Heart of Jesus elevates this excessive love by giving Himself to us, not only as Saviour but also as bread and nourishment for our souls.
- Second Act: Reparation
A principal and vital part of this consecration is that the Creator’s love responds to the creature’s love, thus resulting in yet another obligation: which is to compensate in some way for the transgressions committed against the Uncreated Love. This obligation is called reparation.
We can ask ourselves: How important is it to repair if Christ has already done so for the sins of the entire world? The surrender of Christ is perfectly meritorious, but we must remember that we are the Body of Christ and as such we must enter into His sacrifice. If we do not repair with Christ, we are not part of His Body. Therefore, our oblation and sacrifice must be to immolate our self-love, our desires and to crucify our flesh with the mystical crucifixion.
Reparation is an obligation of love. We must correspond to the great love of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, we will be more holy, in the measure in which our acts of love are more intense, actual and universal.
Christ wanted to reveal His Heart to us with the signs of His passion and casting flames of charity out of itself; that, seeing the infinite malice of sin and admiring the Redeemer’s infinite charity, we might hate sin more fervidly and more ardently respond to His charity.
Let us never forget that the whole force of atonement depends solely on Christ’s bloody sacrifice, which is renewed uninterruptedly on our altars without bloodshed. Therefore, our immolation must be united with this Eucharistic sacrifice so that we may also be offered as “living, holy, pleasing hosts to God.” (Rom 12:1)
Let’s put ourselves in the presence of God to meditate upon these truths.
- We ask the grace to be able to repair the insults with which the Sacred Heart is wounded by men everywhere.
- Today’s resolution: Let’s think of someone who lives far away from God and offer a Hail Mary for that person.
- Jaculatory prayer of the day: (to be repeated throughout the day) My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you; I ask forgiveness for those who do not believe, do not worship, do not hope and do not love you.
Novena in preparation for the Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Lord Jesus Christ, the only redeemer of man,
look with love to those of us who are preparing to consecrate ourselves to Your Most Sacred Heart.
Open for us the eternal fount of your mercy,
that flows from your Heart opened on the Cross.
Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
we want to be always and only yours: in life, in death, and eternity.
Let nothing separate us from your love!
Grant us a heart similar to yours, meek and humble, that listens to you and keeps your commands;
that is nourished of the Word and the Eucharist so that, rooted, edified and transformed in you, we can grow every day in desires of love and reparation to your Heart, pierced by the sins of men and that we can work tirelessly so you can reign in every heart and every society.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in you.
Sweet Immaculate Heart of Mary, be my salvation.
All the angels and saints of God, pray for us.