The First Friday of each month was designated by our Saviour Himself as a day to be consecrated to honouring His Sacred Heart. The object of this devotion is to make our Saviour Jesus Christ ardently and perfectly loved, and to make reparation for the outrages offered to Him in the past. Jesus Christ merits our love at all times, but alas, so many in the world today simply do not recognise His redeeming love for mankind. We should remember that He is truly present in every Catholic church. We should then adore Jesus Christ in this Sacrament, make a fervent act of love to Jesus in the tabernacle, thank Him for having instituted this Mystery of love, express our sorrow at seeing Him so abandoned, and resolve to visit Him as soon as possible and love Him unceasingly. Attendance at Mass is assuredly the best means of honouring and loving the adorable Heart of Jesus.

First Friday devotions in honour of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus:

1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
2. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
3. Act of Consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
4. Act of Reparation
5. The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
6. The Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

1. “I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.”
2. “I will establish peace in their homes.”
3. “I will comfort them in their afflictions.”
4. “I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death.”
5. “I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings.”
6. “Sinners shall find in My Heart the infinite ocean of mercy.”
7. “Tepid souls shall grow fervent.”
8. “Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.”
9. “I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be honoured.”
10. “I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.”
11. “Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart”
12. “I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.”

The Church also teaches us that the most efficacious prayer is prayer in the Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Prayer in the Divine Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament releases the power, blessings and graces of God upon mankind. The best example of this is from Sacred Scripture. Jesus asked His Apostles who touched Him, because He felt the power go out from Him. He was referring to a woman who made an act of faith by touching the hem of His garment, knowing that by doing so she would be healed. Each time you go to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, you touch His Heart with your faith. Each Holy Hour you make in the Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament releases His power and graces upon you, your family, your parish, and the world.

In St. Mary’s in Ryde, the Sacred Heart Chapel (picture – left) contains stained glass windows of saints famous for their love and adoration of Our Blessed Lord. On the left is St. Margaret Mary Alocoque, the French nun, who had a vision of Our Lord exposing his Sacred Heart on 15th June, 1675.

Our Lord said to her: “Behold this Heart, which loves men so much. Yet in return I receive ingratitude, irreverence, sacrilege and a coldness and contempt which they exhibit for me in this Sacrament of love.”

It was through St. Margaret Mary that Christ instituted the “Holy Hour” of devotion and prayer to the Sacred Heart in reparation for the three apostles who fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane. Our Lord told her to: “encourage people to make reparation for the ingratitude of men. Spend an hour in prayer to appease divine justice, to implore mercy for sinners, to honour Me, to console Me for my bitter sufferings when abandoned by my apostles when they could not watch and pray for one hour with me.”

Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament of the altar and Benediction is held after Vespers (5-00pm) at Quarr Abbey

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us.