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In the 17th-century, Jesus appeared four times to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French Visitation
nun. In these apparitions, Jesus asked that Catholics receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays of
the month, adore Our Lord in the Eucharist, and celebrate a feast in honor of the Sacred Heart.
In addition to these requests, Jesus revealed Twelve Promises for those who honor His Sacred Heart.
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 all their afflictions.
4. I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death.
5. I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.
6. Sinners will find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
9. I will bless every place in which an image of my Heart is exposed and honored.
10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart.
12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive
months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my disgrace, nor without
receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last
moment.”
– from The Devotion to the Sacred Heart, by Fr. Jean Croiset, the spiritual director to St. Margaret Mary
First Promise
“I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.”
Meditation
No matter our vocation in life, God wants to provide us with all of the graces that we need. God gives
us a specific mission, something that is tailor-made for each one of us. He doesn’t expect us to do
this on our own. Whether a parish priest, a wife and mother, a widowed grandfather, or a young
postulant, God wants to pour graces on each of us as we live out our vocations.
Prayer
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I ask that You grant me the grace to live my vocation as You would have me
live it. Always lead me in your path. Show me how to serve others in my actions and by my words,
and help me to lead others to You. Through my state of life, please show me how to love you more
each day. Amen.
Reflection Questions
How can I glorify God in my daily life? Are there any particular graces I should ask God to bestow on
me?
Second Promise
“I will establish peace in their homes.”
Meditation
St. Gerard Majella, an 18th-century Italian lay brother, once said, “Who except God can give you
peace? Has the world ever been able to satisfy the heart?” As Christians, we know that God can give
us great peace, even in the midst of trials. Through the love from His Sacred Heart, Jesus wants to
lessen our burdens, calm our fears, and comfort our souls.
Prayer
O Heart of Jesus, only You can give true peace. I ask that You bestow your peace in my heart, in the
hearts of my family members, and upon all who seek You. When I am anxious, calm my heart. When I
am grieving, comfort me. Just as St. Margaret and St. Gertrude rested their heads on Your Sacred
Heart, let me rest too on Your Precious Heart. Amen.
Reflection Questions
Where do I turn when I am anxious? Do I seek the peace that only Christ can give?
Third Promise
“I will comfort them in all their afflictions.”
Meditation
St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, a 20th-century Indian saint, said, “No matter what my
sufferings may be, I will never complain and if I have to undergo any humiliation, I will seek refuge in
the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” When we have any type of suffering – whether physical pain, concern
over family, financial problems, or anything else – we can turn to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord. In
Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
This is still true 2,000 years later.
Prayer
O Sacred Heart, I ask that You comfort me when I am suffering. Through the unending Love of Your
Sacred Heart, bring me solace in my sorrow and joy throughout my pain. And, in Your goodness,
please show me how to unite my suffering with Yours for the salvation of souls and for the release of
the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Amen.
Reflection Questions
When I face trials, do I unite them with the Lord? Do I seek God’s solace in my sorrows?
Fourth Promise
“I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death.”
Meditation
In Romans 14:8, St. Paul says, “
If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so
then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” How comforting these words are: “We
are the Lord’s.” Like a loving earthly parent who holds their child, God wants to be our security and
our home, and He wants us to desire Him to care for us. And He desperately wants our eternal home
to be with Him in heaven.
Prayer
Most Precious Sacred Heart, I ask that You guide me on the path to heaven so that I can live with You
throughout eternity. Nothing on this earth is worth more than being with You eternally, so I ask that
you “Make me to know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.” (Psalm 25:4). Amen.
Reflection Questions
As I journey through my life, do I focus more on temporal matters or on my eternal soul? What can I
do today to bring my heart in better alignment with the Sacred Heart?
Fifth Promise
“I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.”
Meditation
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque said, “It is plainly evident that there is no one in the world who will not
receive all kinds of heavenly blessings if they have a true love of Jesus Christ manifested by a
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” Our Lord, in His boundless love, cares about each one of us
and wants to bless us individually. As long as our wills aligns with God’s Will, He will bless our
endeavors, especially if we honor His Most Sacred Heart.
Prayer
O Heart of Jesus, may I never forget that You care so deeply for me individually, among the billions of
people on this earth. I humbly ask that you bless everything that I do, as long as it is within Your Will.
And I ask that You guide me in Your Will so that I only want what You want. Amen.
Reflection Questions
How do I give my time to God? Do I ask that God works through me in my daily tasks?
Sixth Promise
“Sinners will find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.”
Meditation
In Romans 5:8, St. Paul says, “God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died
for us.” The very fact that Jesus – God Himself – died for sinners tell us how much He loves us. And
no matter our sins, Jesus waits for us to return to Him. In the precious gift of sacramental Confession,
Jesus cleanses us from our sins so that we can better reflect His Image.
Prayer
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I know that we do not deserve your great mercy, but you grant us your
mercy out of Your love for each of us. Thank you for Your love and Your forgiveness. Help me to grant
mercy to others just as readily as You give Your mercy to me.
Reflection Question
Do I give mercy to others? Or do I hold on to resentments?
Seventh Promise
“Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.”
Meditation
As Christians, we should never be lukewarm in our faith (see Revelation 3:15-16). In the goodness of
Jesus’ Sacred Heart, He wants to inspire us to grow continually closer to Him. Being a Christian is not
a part-time endeavor. With Jesus’ help, we can grow in our faith and love God more every day.
Prayer
O Heart of Jesus, I believe in You, but guide me closer to You so that I might never be lukewarm in my
faith. I love You, but ask that that You show me how to love you even more, and inspire others to
grow in their love for You, as well. Amen.
Reflection Question
St. Teresa of Avila says, “The lukewarm do not embrace the cross, they merely drag it along.” Do I
take all of my concerns and thoughts to God, asking for His help in growing closer to Him?
Eighth Promise
“Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.”
Meditation
In Romans 12:10-11, St. Paul says, “… love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another
in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord.” For those who are firm
in their faith, there is always room to grow closer to Our Lord, to “be aglow with the Spirit.” Every
day of our lives, every moment, we have an opportunity to love Him more. He wants us to burn with
love for Him because that is how He loves us. As Mother Angelica once said, “I want you to breathe
Jesus, think of Jesus. I want you to talk to Jesus. I want you to … be Jesus oriented.” Every day, with
the help of His Sacred Heart, we can grow more “Jesus oriented.”
Prayer
O Heart of Jesus, I ask that You inspire me to love You more. Even though I am unable to love You the
way that I should, show me how to love you more each day. Your love for me is my greatest gift, O
Lord. Amen.
Reflection Question
Is my heart on fire for the Lord? In what ways am I using my gifts to advance the Kingdom of God?
Ninth Promise
“I will bless every place in which an image of my Heart is exposed
and honored.”
Meditation
The Catholic faith fills our senses with the sounds of Gregorian chant, the smell of incense, the
feeling of a rosary in our hands. As we are physical beings, our faith is increased by our senses. This is
why sacred images are so important. They raise our hearts and minds to heaven. Pope Leo XIII said,
“There is in the Sacred Heart the symbol and express image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ which
moves us to love in return.” As we look at images of Jesus’ Sacred Heart, it moves us to love Him as
He burns with love for us.
Prayer
O Sacred Heart, as I gaze on Your image, I ask that You show me how to love You with a deep,
burning love. As I honor You, bless my home and my family, and guide all of us to You, that we may
love and honor You for eternity. Amen.
Reflection Question
Do I often look at the Sacred Heart of the Lord? Do I meditate on His love for me?
Tenth Promise
“I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.”
Meditation
St. John Vianney, a 19th-century French priest, said, “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.
When you see a priest, think of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Through the Sacred Heart, priests can reach
people, gently showing them the love of Christ. Without priests, we wouldn’t have most of the
sacraments, which is why we should never take the priesthood for granted. And we should always
pray that they align their hearts with the Heart of Christ.
Prayer
O Heart of Jesus, I ask that You bless all priests, and infuse them with a great desire to reach their
flocks with love and truth. Send more priests to us, and help us to appreciate this beautiful gift by
which they exercise Your priesthood on our behalf. Amen.
Reflection Questions
Do I appreciate my parish priest? How can I encourage priests in their vocation?
Eleventh Promise
“Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names
written in my Heart.”
Meditation
How wonderful it is to hear that our names could be written on Jesus’ Heart! And He asks so little in
return. All He wants is for us to promote His Sacred Heart. If we have His image hanging in our house,
or mention this devotion to friends, or share a Sacred Heart quote with our Bible study group, we are
promoting this devotion. In return, Our Lord will reward us a hundredfold with our names written on
His Sacred Heart.
Prayer
O Sacred Heart, I ask that You shine your light through me so that I can share Your Love with the
world. I might not have the right words or the right manner, but You can make up where I am lacking.
I want others to know You and honor Your Sacred Heart. Work through me to share Your love with all
whom I meet in daily life. Amen.
Reflection Question
How can I share the message of Jesus’ Sacred Heart?
Twelfth Promise
“I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will
grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine
consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my
disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe
refuge in this last moment.”
Meditation
This is perhaps the greatest promise of them all. If we receive Communion on nine consecutive First
Fridays, Jesus’ Heart will be our “safe refuge in this last moment.” Since Jesus died for us on Good
Friday, it is fitting that we offer Him a small offering by making the Nine First Fridays. There is nothing
more wonderful on this earth than receiving Our Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist, and Jesus Himself
wants to share this Communion with us, particularly as we honor His Sacred Heart.
Prayer
My dear Lord, thank You for offering your Heart to me and for the Twelve Promises of the Sacred
Heart. I ask that You help me to honor your Sacred Heart by devoutly making my First Friday
devotion. You ask so little from us, but You always give so much in return. I love you, dear Lord, and I
ask that you always guide me closer to Your Precious Heart. Amen.
Reflection Question
Have I considered making my First Fridays? How could this strengthen my love for the Sacred Heart
of Jesus?