Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus : Friday June 11, 2010
ACT OF REPARATION (256*)
O Sweetest Jesus, Thou dost pour forth Thy love abundantly on men, while they repay Thee most ungratefully with neglect, indifference and contempt. Behold us humbly kneeling in Thy presence; we would fain repair this heartless ingratitude on the part of men, and the manifold injuries that are everywhere done to Thy most loving Heart, by a special act of homage.
Yet we are not unmindful that we, too, have had our part in this unworthy behavior; therefore are we moved to deep contrition, and above all, we beg Thy mercy for ourselves; we are ready to atone, by this voluntary act of expiation, for the crimes which we ourselves have committed, as also for the sins of those who, straying far from the way of their unbelief, to follow Thee, the Shepherd and Guide of their souls, or who trample upon the vows of their Baptism and shake off the sweet yoke of Thy law.
Not only are we anxious to expiate all these deplorable crimes, but in an especial manner do we purpose to make reparation for these following: immodesty and shameful excesses in life and dress; the many snares of corruption laid for the souls of the innocent; the neglect of holydays; the hateful blasphemies that are hurled against Thee and Thy Saints; the reproaches uttered against Thy Vicar on earth and all the priestly order; the neglect, also, of the very Sacrament of Thy love, as well as its profanation by horrifying sacrilege; and finally the public sins of the nations in rebellion against the just rights and the teaching authority of the Church established by Thee.
Would that we were able to atone for all these outrages even to the shedding of our blood! Meanwhile, in order to atone for the violations of the honor due to Thee, we offer unto Thee that selfsame satisfaction which of old Thou didst offer to the Father upon the holy Cross and which from day to day Thou dost continually renew upon the altars of Thy Church. To this we add the expiatory merits of Thy Virgin Mother, of all Thy Saints and of the devout faithful upon earth. With all our hearts we promise to atone, Thy grace assisting us, for our own past sins and those of all other men, as also for our coldness towards Thine exceeding great love, by a firm faith, spotless purity of life and the perfect fulfillment, so far as in us lies, of the law of the Gospel, and in particular of the precept of charity.
We likewise pledge ourselves in accordance with our strength to prevent such injuries from being done to Thee, and to invite as many as we can to follow Thee. Accept, we pray Thee, most gracious Jesus, through the intercession of Our Lady of Reparation, this our free-will offering of reparation, and be Thou pleased to keep us, by the great gift of final perseverance, faithful even unto death in our dutiful service of Thee, so that in the end we may all come to that our true native land, where Thou, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
ACT OF CONSECRATION (258*)
I, n... n.... give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, my person and my life, my actions, pains and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being save to honor, love and glorify the Sacred Heart.
This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him.
I therefore take Thee, O Sacred Heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life and my sure refuge at the hour of death.
Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God Thy Father, and turn away from me the strokes of His righteous anger. O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in Thee, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness and bounty.
Do Thou consume in me all that can displease Thee or resist Thy holy will; let Thy pure love imprint Thee so deeply upon my heart, that I shall nevermore be able to forget Thee or to be separated from Thee; may I obtain from all Thy loving kindness the grace of having my name written in Thee, for in Thee I desire to place all my happiness and all my glory, living and dying in very bondage to Thee. (St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)
*copied from The Raccolta, 1952 Benziger Brothers
