Make Your Home More Holy Aaron Lofy
Director of Youth & Young Adults, alofy@dowr.org
The following article was posted April 3, 2020, to catholicmatch.com, which owns the rights. By EMILY LOFY
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re you single, living with a group of friends, and your shared space could just use some more grace? Or perhaps you’re divorced, living alone, and your living space just needs a little warmth. Engaged? Married? If you’re looking to grow in holiness in your everyday life, consider Enthroning the Sacred Heart of Jesus in your home. My husband and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary by Enthroning the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our home. With the spiritual guidance of a priest, we hosted a couple dozen of our friends on the eve of our anniversary for an unforgettable event. Since that day, I can honestly say that our home is a more peaceful and sacred place, with graces abounding to every person within. But before I get too ahead of myself, let’s look at the reason behind this tradition. The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic tradition first beginning in 1907. It stems from the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as promulgated by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. St. Margaret Mary, a Visitation nun, had a series of visions of Jesus in which He disclosed to her “the marvels of his Love and the inexplicable secrets of His Sacred Heart.” He, in turn, made 12 promises to those who consecrate themselves and make reparations to His Sacred Heart: 1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life. 2. I will establish peace in their families. 3. I will comfort them in their trials. 4. I will be their secure refuge during life, and, above all, in death. 5. I will shed abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
6. Sinners will find in My Heart an infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Lukewarm souls will become fervent. 8. Fervent souls will rapidly grow in holiness and perfection.
9. I will bless every place where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
12. I promise thee, in the excessive mercy of My Heart, that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.
The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart stems from this 9th promise: He will bless every place in which an image of His Heart is exposed and honored. The Enthronement sets Jesus as King and Lord over the home by giving His Heart a ‘throne’… a literal place of honor. Those who wish to make the Enthronement first obtain the most beautiful image they can find of the Sacred Heart, to be established in the most prominent place in the home (with an option to also include the Immaculate Heart of Mary). After a short period of preparation, the official Enthronement ceremony takes place, ideally presided over by a priest, and with close friends in attendance. During the ceremony, the image is blessed and set in its place while the member(s) of the household makes an act of consecration to the Sacred Heart. Then immediately following, a big party is thrown in celebration! The image henceforth remains as a constant reminder of Jesus’ kingship over the house. It essentially links “the tabernacle of our parish church to
Jesus reminds us that our relationship with Him isn't merely a spectator sport. He desires to reside with us in our home.
11. The names of those who promote this devotion will be written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.
Youth & Young Adults
With This Little-Known Devotion
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our home, inviting our Lord to be our constant and most intimate Companion” (p. 6, The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). The member of the home makes their devotion to the Sacred Heart a way of life. This devotion essentially links 'the tabernacle of our parish church to our home, inviting our Lord to be our constant and most intimate Companion.' Cardinal Burke notes in his book, The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that “the person living alone, no less than a family household, rightly desires that Christ be his or her constant Companion” (p. 6). Cardinal Burke states also that “if the company of Christ is cultivated in our homes, His company will be cultivated in every sector of life for the transformation of our society and our world into a civilization of love” (p.7). Jesus reminds us that our relationship with Him isn't merely a spectator sport. He desires to reside with us in our home. On the day of our own Enthronement ceremony, we had a Mass celebrated in our house. The gospel reading for the day just happened to be the story of Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector who climbed a tree so he could see Jesus pass by. What did Jesus do when He came upon this man? He invited Himself to stay in Zacchaeus’ home. There is truly no better way of inviting Jesus into your home than to give Him the ‘throne’ He rightfully deserves. Emily Lofy is a regular contributor to CatholicMatch Institute, which "produces daily articles, weekly newsletters, videos, video courses, and books to provide single Catholics with advice on how to both live well and date well."
July 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
