Offer all our pains to the Sacred Heart of Jesus!
How great is our joy when all our pains are offered to the Sacred Heart of Jesus! St Alphonsa.
Offering pain to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was the precious devotional practice enjoyed by St Alphonsa. This practice helped her to unite personal suffering with the suffering of Jesus, particularly symbolized by His Sacred Heart. Thus, she experienced His divine love and compassion at the peak moment of her suffering. Alphonsa strongly believed that the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a powerful intercessor before God the Father. Praying to the Sacred Heart can invoke Christ’s mercy and grace for oneself and others’ suffering.
On June 14, 1939, the eve of the Feast of the Sacred Heart, a significant day in the Catholic Church, St. Alphonsa shared a profound insight with the Junior Sisters. She said wheat kernels are pounded properly, and white flour is obtained. When it is baked, it will become the Host for the Eucharistic celebration. In this way, we too should be crushed by suffering and become like that Host…”
“How is wine made? Just as good grapes, when crushed and pressed, yield juice that becomes a rich, intense wine after purification, so too do we, when purified by sufferings and pains, become strong in spirit.
A novice who heard the wheat bread and wine story said: “This is what the Lord himself was saying in the mother’s heart.” Those words were so touching to them. Some knew that Alphonsa tended to ask for crosses to become one with her divine bridegroom. She once said about the pains at night: “I have prayed a lot to get this gift. If I have pains during the day, it is another thing. They will know and sympathize and will find ways to relieve the pain. Because of this, they will cause trouble for others. I can bear my prayer without anyone knowing.”
By offering pain to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St Alphonsa found meaning and purpose in her suffering, which drew her closer to Christ’s compassionate love.
In her teachings, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque revealed Jesus’ promise of specific graces to those devoted to His Sacred Heart. These graces, including peace in families, consolation in troubles, and blessings on undertakings, serve as a source of reassurance and comfort. Let us, like St. Alphonsa, find, through the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a deep well of divine love, healing, and comfort, especially in times of suffering.
Fr Jaison Kunnel MCBS