First Friday February 3, 2023 

Guards of Honor 1st Friday / February 2023 Fr. David Bellusci, OP 

“My Heart has expected reproach and misery and I looked for one who would grieve together

with Me, but there was none; and for one that would comfort me, and I found none!” (Ps. 68)

“BEHOLD THE HEART WHICH HAS SUFFERED SO MUCH!”

SERVANTS OF THE CRUCIFIED

In February of 1684, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque wrote a letter to Miss Chamberland at Moulins. The opening words may come as a surprise, and yet, this is the spirituality of the Sacred Heart.  Margaret Mary writes, “I pray that Our Lord Himself will be your strength and bring you to the perfection of His [beloved] truly crucified.” How is this done? By offering Jesus our hearts and affections “without reserve.” Margaret Mary tells her correspondent -- and this includes each one of us as Guards of Honour and lovers of the Sacred Heart -- to become a servant of the “crucified.” Margaret Mary even explains how -- or what it means -- to become servants of the crucified: by mortification. By dying to our inclinations, passions, pleasures, all things that belong to the person in the world, the “unmortified person”; and so, Jesus Christ lives in us by His grace and love. Margaret Mary reminds us that there is a difference between what we choose to suffer ourselves, and the suffering that we do not choose, but Divine Providence permits in our lives. We profit from these occasions of suffering that Divine Providence sends our way to become servants of the crucified.

With Lent only a few weeks away, we can ask Our Crucified Lord to help us deepen our love for His Sacred Heart.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I love you.

Prayer to Renew Our Fidelity and Devotion 

Divine Jesus, my Saviour and my King, with all my heart I  renew the promise which I have made to love, to glorify and  to console Your adorable Heart as a member of the Guard  of Honor. Grant O good Master, to make me daily more  loving, more devoted and more faithful. I ask this same  grace for all the Associates through the most sweet Heart of  Your Mother. AMEN