Since June is specially dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus we have been paying particular attention to this devotion throughout the month. The feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a moveable feast, and will actually take place this year in July (July 1).
In "The Devotion to the Sacred Heart," by Fr. John Croiset, SJ, which was commissioned by Our Lord Himself, through St. Margaret Mary, Fr. Croiset tells us that the obstacles to devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus may be reduced to four: "great tepidity in the service of God, self-love, secret pride, and certain passions which people have not taken care to mortify from the beginning of their conversion."
We have also seen that, according to Fr. Croiset, there are two principal means of overcoming these obstacles. The first is true mortification and the second is humility, which we discussed here and here.
We also saw here the seven means suggested by Fr. Croiset for acquiring perfect love of Jesus Christ and a tender devotion to His Sacred Heart.
In addition, we have considered here what Fr. Croiset tells us are proper motives and sentiments with which Devotion to the Sacred Heart ought to be practiced. We also saw here how Our Lord chose the day for the feast of the Sacred Heart.
Now we will look more deeply into Devotion to the Sacred Heart. We have already considered daily practices of Devotion to the Sacred Heart recommended by Fr. Croiset. Now we will meditate upon the motives which Fr. Croiset says should urge us to visit the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Croiset writes:
"If we are sick, unhappy, or afflicted, let us have recourse to Jesus Christ, let us go to Him, who is our good Father, and tell Him of the misfortunes which have happened to us and of the evils which threaten us. If we have some important decision to make, if we want to restore peace in some family, if we want to bring about the conversion of some person, if we are remiss in the service of God, inconstant, imperfect, let us run to Jesus Christ and ask him humbly and with respectul familiarity for the graces that we need, and above all let us ask with great confidence."
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