First Friday july 7, 2023 

Guards of Honor 1st Friday / July 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!”

In her letter of 1685 written to Mother de Sumaise at Dijon, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque gives her insight on “time.” St. Margaret Mary tells us, “We must love this only Love of our hearts no matter what it costs us.” This tells us that to love Jesus has no price, “no matter what it costs us,” and no limit, even though we are finite creatures with limits. She adds, “It seems to me that all other thoughts and occupations are a waste of time. I have never before better understood the value of time.” St. Margaret Mary writes as a cloistered nun to another cloistered nun -- settings with few distractions, focused entirely on a life of prayer, the Heart of Jesus. Yet, St. Margaret Mary recognizes that they still need to avoid “wasting time.” How much truer is this for us when we have all the distractions of the world, interruptions of technology, internet addictions. Can we say to ourselves that our time on earth is sacred when we waste time, as St. Margaret Mary reminds us. Our mind, heart, and soul are created for God and so all our entire being should be directed towards the Sacred Heart of Jesus. How is this possible with our daily activities, duties, and responsibilities? We begin our day by offering ourselves and our activities to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart, then, enflames us and possesses us so that we belong to Jesus: He is ours; and we are His.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I offer you this day.

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