Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Throughout the calendar year, there are certain months that are traditionally tied to certain devotions in our faith. November is associated with praying for the dead, June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart, and in October, we’re encouraged to pray the Rosary. But the reality is, there’s a devotion of some kind for every month, even if not everyone is familiar with it. And the same is true of August, which is devoted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
In some ways, it makes sense that August would be a month that has a Marian theme to it, given that in the middle of the month, we celebrate the Assumption of Mary into heaven. And while May is traditionally associated with Marian devotion in general, August features something much more specific. If you’re not terribly familiar with the Immaculate Heart and the devotion that has developed around it, please allow me to give a brief explanation of it.
Both the image and the devotion of the Immaculate Heart are closely tied to that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Whereas the Sacred Heart encourages attending Mass and going to confession centered around nine First Fridays of the month, the Immaculate Heart encourages the same, but centered on five First Saturdays of the month. This idea or revelation was given by the Blessed Mother to Sister Lucia, one of the three visionary children of Fatima, Portugal, although this happened later in her adult life. The image of the Immaculate Heart is both similar and distinct from the Sacred Heart in its depiction. The Sacred Heart has flames flowing out of its top, a crown of thorns wrapped around it, and a wound on its side, representing where the lance pierced Our Blessed Lord on the Cross. In comparison, the Immaculate Heart also has flames flowing out of its top, a crown of roses wrapped around it, and a sword piercing through the heart itself, recalling the prophecy of Simeon from Luke’s Gospel account.
But what is the devotion really about? Well, as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a wonderful show of the way in which divine love is combined with human love in the person of Christ, the Immaculate Heart demonstrates the heights of human love, full of God’s grace. In many ways, the Blessed Mother is the highest example of human capacity, given that she is sinless. And this devotion reminds us of what all of us are called to, and with God’s help, capable of. To love extraordinarily is not easy and not without pain, as the sword reminds us of Mary’s grief at the Crucifixion of her Son. But as we deepen our relationship with God and continue to discover the depths of His grace active in our lives, it should, just as it did for Mary, enable us to love those around us more deeply and freely. May we be mindful of that this month!
Peace and Goodness,
Fr. Dan
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