Most Catholics know the Sacred Heart through St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.
They know the familiar image: Christ pointing to His heart, surrounded by thorns and burning with love.
But what many Catholics do not realize is that the devotion to the Sacred Heart did not begin with St. Margaret Mary. Its roots stretch back centuries earlier, all the way to the Apostle John reclining on the breast of Christ at the Last Supper.
At the Last Supper, John was given a unique privilege. While the other apostles sat at table with Christ, John reclined close to Him, resting against His chest. Christian writers and saints would later reflect on the significance of that moment. John was physically close enough to hear the heartbeat of Jesus.
For centuries, Christians have contemplated what that means.
The Sacred Heart devotion developed from the understanding that Christ's heart is the source and symbol of His love for humanity. It represents not only His love, but also His suffering. The heart that loved so completely was also rejected, betrayed, mocked, and pierced.
That dual reality appears throughout the history of the devotion.
In the Middle Ages, saints and mystics reflected deeply on Christ's wounded side and pierced heart. Among them was St. Gertrude the Great, who experienced a vision in which she was permitted to rest near the heart of Jesus. Wondering why St. John had never written about hearing the heartbeat of Christ at the Last Supper, she asked him in prayer.
According to the account, St. John replied that the mystery had been reserved for a later age, a time when the world would grow cold in its love for God and need to be warmed again by hearing of His Sacred Heart.
Whether one focuses on the mystical account or not, the observation remains relevant.
Every age struggles with indifference. Every age needs reminders of God's love.
That need became especially clear in the seventeenth century when Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. He showed her His heart aflame with love and expressed His desire that devotion to the Sacred Heart spread throughout the Church. He lamented not a lack of power or glory, but a lack of love returned for love.
The Sacred Heart devotion is ultimately about responding to that love.
It invites us to remember that Christianity is not merely a set of rules or ideas. At its center is a Person whose heart burns with love for His people.
That message resonated so deeply that in 1899 Pope Leo XIII consecrated the entire human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, calling it "the great act" of his pontificate.
More than a century later, Catholics continue to enthrone images of the Sacred Heart in their homes, celebrate the feast of the Sacred Heart, and turn to Christ's heart in prayer.
It reminds us of a truth that never grows old: God loves us personally, completely, and sacrificially.
And a beautiful reminder of that truth can be found in the traditional image of the Sacred Heart alongside the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Chaste Heart of St. Joseph.
The Three Hearts Wall Plaques remind us that the Christian life is ultimately about learning how to love as Christ loves. Discover yours today at The Catholic Company!
