On The Sacred Heart
Early Christian writers such as St. Justin Martyr and later medieval theologians like St. Bernard of Clairvaux emphasized the pierced side of Christ as the fountain of grace for the Church. Their reflections helped shape the understanding of Christ’s Heart as the wellspring of divine mercy. newmanrosaryguild.blogspot.com/2021/05/walsingham-chaplet-of-five-wounds.html By the eleventh century, Christians were reflecting more deeply on the Five Wounds of Christ, and personal devotions to His Heart began to grow. This devotion gained momentum in the seventeenth century through the visions of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun in France. From 1673 to 1675, Jesus revealed His Heart to her as a sign of His limitless love and called for renewed devotion focused on reparation, consecration, and frequent reception of the Eucharist—especially on First Fridays. These revelations inspired the creation of the Feast of the Sacred Heart, first celebrated by St. Jean Eudes in 1670 and later o...