Guard of Honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

This last letter of 1686, St. Margaret Alacoque writes to her former Superior, Mother Saumaise, at Dijon. At this time, in responds to the Revelations of Jesus, St. Margaret Mary continues to seek approval of devotion to the Sacred Heart because there is controversy and opposition. Why should her Revelations be taken seriously? How does Sister Mary Margaret even know if they are from God? And Communion on First Fridays? In the 17 th century frequent communion was quite unusual and not an established practise. How does a cloistered nun in a Visitation convent, called to humility, and hidden from the world, find approval for the Revelation and then support to make the message of Jesus known? As we encounter the challenges before St. Margaret Mary, we also learn how she unites herself with the heart of Jesus: hidden, withdrawn, unknown.

St. Margaret Mary raises another concern; a factor causing obstruction in the spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart: Satan. Not only is it difficult for her to find approval, let alone spread the devotion, but how can she do this as a cloistered nun committed to obedience, the vow that serves to purify us of pride? Caught within her own spiritual turmoil and interior battles, she will not allow Satan to win the upper hand, not by breaking her Vows, and not by sabotaging the Revelations. St. Margaret Mary already knows that Satan wants to snatch many souls away from Jesus, and with devotion to the Sacred Heart, Satan himself will lose souls. And so, St. Margaret Mary states boldly, “We must withstand all the attacks of Satan.” St. Margaret Mary is responding to parish priests who either prohibited devotion to the Sacred Heart or refused to admit new devotions. Even publishers during St. Margaret Mary’s time were prohibited from publishing anything on devotion to the Sacred Heart.

St. Margaret Mary resigned herself to the Will of God; He started this devotion, He will bring it to completion—if it is His will. In this way, St. Margaret Mary can prioritise her obedience to her superiors and her life as a cloistered nun submitting herself to God’s will. We can follow St. Margaret Mary’s example and put God’s will first, our vows and religious duties, and what helps us grow in sanctity before anything else, and to avoid those acts and habits that detracts us from sanctity.