THE LOVE OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS FOR THAT OF HIS BLESSED MOTHER
From the Writings of Saint John Eudes
“Inasmuch as divine love adorns the soul, it is called grace,… Inasmuch as it strengthens us to do good, it is called charity. When it has reached a degree of perfection at which it not only makes us do good but also do this carefully, frequently, and promptly, it is called devotion. Devotion not only makes us prompt, active, and faithful in the observance of God’s commands, but in addition it arouses us to do quickly and lovingly as many good works as possible.” Devotion is the queen of the virtues, for it is the perfection, the flame of the fire of charity. Devotion reaches out to esteem the evangelical counsels, and to embrace some of them, in the measure that our personal vocation may allow. Devotion facilitates our progress on the path to perfection. We can see why Faber asserts: “Next to the gift of faith we should prize nothing so much as this substantial devotion”, which is based on the sure foundation of faith and consists in the generous and “solid resolution to serve God under whatever circumstances.”~Saint Francis de Sales 1
I know this weekend is a holiday weekend, but it’s also, and most importantly (IMO), the First Friday and Saturday of the Month.
To know God is the greatest gift one could ever receive.
God is a Holy Trinity, and the Holy Trinity is a Mystery.
What better way to love Jesus than to know what Love is in His Heart?
Today, I will present to you an excerpt from the writings of Saint John Eudes, who, if you are not familiar, was a prominent advocate of the Sacred Heart of Jesus during his time, for you to take a look at and consider this First Friday/First Saturday Weekend.
THE LOVE OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS FOR THAT OF HIS BLESSED MOTHER
After having listened to the divine words of our Saviour exhorting us to love and honour the most lovable Heart of Mary, let us see with what affection His own adorable Heart regards it, as we shall learn even more from His deeds than from His words. For what words could express or depict the smallest spark of that burning love with which He is inflamed towards the maternal Heart of Mary?
He has shown how He loves and honours it by having exalted it above all other hearts, making choice of it wherein to establish the august empire of His glory, and the magnificent triumph of His Love.
He so loved and honoured it as to make it a heavenly abode more exalted and brilliant than all the Heavens, and in which He is more glorified and loved than in the empyreal Heavens.
He so loved and honoured it that at the very first moment of its creation He wrought in it several great miracles, as we shall see hereafter; and He has communicated to itso abundant an outpouring of His own divine perfections that it is the best, the noblest, the most perfect and powerful, the wisest and holiest, the most just, the most merciful, the most gracious and generous, the richest and happiest, the most glorious, most lovable, and admirable of all hearts.
To understand this clearly we must bear in mind what St. Denis the Areopagite teaches us: that the divine Love reflects in the hearts of the Angels, as in so many beautiful mirrors, the Divine attributes, in different ways according to the diversity of the various Orders of those blessed Spirits.
Thus, this adorable Love depicts Itself in the inflamed and burning affections of the Seraphim. For, says St. Denis, the names by which these celestial spirits are known, denote the qualities and perfections proper to them, and by which they resemble God. Now the word “‘Seraphim,”’ as the same Saint tells us, signifies Spirits who burn and are on fire.
In the Cherubim He imprints a beautiful image of the knowledge and wisdom of God, for the word ‘ Cherubim ’ means a plentitude of knowledge and a superabundance of wisdom.
In the Thrones, Divine Love establishes the resemblance, the throne and the empire of the most sublime and exalted Majesty of God and His unshaken stability: for the holy Thrones, according to St. Denis, are spirits raised to great heights, whose place is nigh unto Him whom the Holy Scriptures call the Most High. Near Him they dwell with such resolute constancy that nothing can displace them. They are like thrones and seats for God, and have very great and extensive capacities, being ever ready to receive the Divinity Who reposes in them.
The holy Dominations bear an excellent representation of the Sovereignty and supreme dominion of the great God.
In the Virtues, Divine Love portrays a vivid resemblance to the Virtue and Might of God, for the name, says St. ‘Denis, denotes a manly strength, vigorous and unconquerable, which they manifest in all the functions of their office, being perfect images of that Virtue from which all others flow as from their fountain head, and which they unceasingly contemplate and glorify.
The holy Powers are made as perfect expressions of the adorable power of Him who is called Almighty. ‘ Omnipotens nomen Ejus.’’ In the holy Principalities is engraven a living image of the Sovereignty of God, the name showing, as St. Denis again tells us, that imitating God they are capable of commanding and governing with decorum and order. They are ever occupied in contemplating and adoring that Princely Sovereignty of which they bear the likeness, and in manifesting its supreme authority over all things.
In the Archangels, Divine Love has established the throne of the Will of God, which they contemplate incessantly in order to reflect in themselves its divine lights and impress, as well as to convey its orders and behests not only to the Angels who are their inferiors, but also occasionally to men, especially to those who are employed in the highest and most important functions of Holy Church.
In the Angels is imprinted a living image of the Providence of God, for St. Denis says, as that adorable Providence governs all things, and provides for the well-being and salvation of all the children of Adam in general, so, in imitation of this, the Holy Angels have the direction and government of men, and are employed in guarding and guiding them in the paths of grace.
It is thus Divine Love portrays and impresses the divine attributes on the inmost being of these blessed Spirits, and so each Order of Angels is dedicated and consecrated to some one of these adorable attributes, and is ever occupied in adoring, glorifying and imitating it, as far as possible, and also in exciting others to love and adore this divine object.
Now what Divine Love does in the Angels, the Only Son of Mary, Who is all love for His dearest Mother, has done in her pure Heart, but in a much more excellent way, for gathering together all the perfections of His Divinity which are divided amongst the various Angelic choirs, He united them in the most august Heart of the Angels’ Queen; because having chosen her to be His Mother, it was necessary that the resemblance between such a Son and such a Mother should be perfect. Whence it comes that she, having made Him like to herself according to His Humanity, He, her divine Son, willed to make her like Himself according to His Divinity. As the Eternal Father unceasingly communicates to Him all the divine attributes with such perfection that He is called the “Figure of His substance’’ and the ““Image of the invisible God,’’ so He, Jesus, makes the virginal Heart of His holy Mother, a participator in those same perfections which He receives from His Father, and in such fulness that her Heart bears a marvellous resemblance to the perfection of our adorable Saviour.
Yes, her incomparable Heart is a most clear and precious mirror, in which the Eternal Sun, which is Jesus, is perfectly reflected with all its beauty and perfection. By this means He renders that spotless Heart so admirable, lovable, and worthy of honour, that after our Lord, the God- Man, it is the first object of veneration in Heaven, as it ought to be the chief object of our devotion on earth.2
The Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary are inseparable.
And they should be inseparable from you if you want to find your truest, highest calling.
Is it not true then that here is a great number of privileges and advantages with which our Saviour has honored His most holy Mother? What has constrained Him to do so? The burning love with which His filial Heart is all on fire for her. Why does He love her so much?
She is His Mother, from whom He received a new being and a new life by the new birth which she gave Him on earth.
He loves her alone more than He loves all creatures together because she loves Him more than all created things. 3.
He loves her most ardently because she cooperated with Him in the accomplishment of His great work of the Redemption of the world. Her cooperation was to, give Him a mortal body capable of suffering and of sustaining the torments of His Passion. She also imparted to Him the Precious Blood which He shed for us, and she offered that body, that blood, and that life as a sacrifice at the foot of the Cross.
As our Saviour's love for His Blessed Mother is so great, we must be obliged to love and serve her to the best of our ability.
Let us then love her with her Son Jesus, and if we love them let us hate what they hate and love what they love. Let us have but one heart with them, a heart detesting what they detest, that is, sin, especially the sins against charity, humility and purity, and a heart that loves what they love, particularly the poor, all Christian virtues, and trials.
0 Mother of goodness, obtain for us these graces from Thy Son!3
Below is an audio Podcast taken from something I wrote at the very end of 2022. I had just had a medical emergency, thought I might not “make it”, and felt I had to share this “just in case.”
It’s a free download or pay what you can. I was really happy with how this came out, so it’s worth a listen imo, especially this weekend, considering it’s the Month of the Blood of Jesus.
If you’d like to support me and my work, you can Donate/Support/Tip using the links below.
Also, whenever you have a chance, stop by my new website I’ve been working on for a while now. It’s the first time I’m letting you know about it here.
https://opusangelorum.org/devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
Most Pure Heart of Mary by Saint John Eudes Chapter IV
The Sacred Heart of Jesus BY SAINT JOHN EUDES Translated by DOM. RICHARD FLOWER, O.S.B., MA. OF THE PORTSMOUTH PRIORY PORTSMOUTH, R. 1. With an Introduction by THE REVEREND GERALD B. PHELAN PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE OF MEDIEVAL STUDIES TORONTO, CANADA