Litany of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mother's womb, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, rich to all who call upon You, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our offenses, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with reproaches, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our iniquities, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, obedient even unto death, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in You, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints, Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Jesus, meek and humble of Heart,
Make our hearts like unto Thine.
Let us pray.
Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers Thee in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen
Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alocoque (1647-1690), a French nun in the Visitation Order, and gave her the special task to spread devotion to His Most Sacred Heart at a time when religion was growing cold in the hearts of mankind.
He said to her:
"Behold this heart which, not withstanding the burning love for men with which it is consumed and exhausted, meets with no other return from most Christians than sacrilege, contempt, indifference and ingratitude, even in the sacrament of my love [the Eucharist]. But what pierces my heart most deeply is that I am subjected to these insults by persons especially consecrated to my service."
Jesus asked for special prayers and practices to make amends
(reparation) for this great neglect to the proper reverence owed to God.
For those who did this faithfully, he made what St. Margaret Mary referred to as the "Great Promise" which was the last and greatest of the Twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
"I promise you in the unfathomable mercy of my heart that my omnipotent love will procure the grace of final penitence for all those who receive communion on nine successive first Fridays of the month; they will not die in my disfavor [the grace of final repentance], or without having received the sacraments, since my divine heart will be their sure refuge in the last moments of their life."
Twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
"I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life."
2. "I will establish peace in their homes."
3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions."
4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death."
5. "I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings."
6. "Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and the infinite ocean of
mercy."
7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent."
8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up
and honored."
10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names
written in My Heart, never to be blotted out."
12. "I promise thee in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-
powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First
Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence;
they shall not die in my disgrace nor without receiving the
sacraments; my divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last
moment."
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Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Thee I consecrate and offer up my person and my life, my actions, trials, and sufferings, that my entire being may henceforth only be employed in loving, honoring and glorifying Thee. This is my irrevocable will, to belong entirely to Thee, and to do all for Thy love, renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease Thee.
I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness. Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee. Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee.
I beseech Thee, through Thine infinite Goodness, grant that my name be engraved upon Thy Heart, for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants.
Amen. — St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
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Act of Reparation
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee.
The more Thy mysteries are blasphemed, the more firmly we shall believe them, O Sacred Heart of Jesus!
The more impiety endeavors to extinguish our hope of immortality, the more we shall trust in Thy Heart, sole Hope of mankind!
The more hearts resist Thy Divine attractions, the more we shall love Thee, O infinitely amiable Heart of Jesus!
The more unbelief attacks Thy Divinity, the more humbly and profoundly we shall adore It, O Divine Heart of Jesus!
The more Thy holy laws are transgressed and ignored, the more we shall delight to observe them, O most holy Heart of Jesus!
The more Thy Sacraments are despised and abandoned, the more frequently we shall receive them with love and reverence, O most generous Heart of Jesus!
The more the imitation of Thy virtues is neglected and forgotten, the more we shall endeavor to practice them, O Heart, model of every virtue!
The more the devil labors to destroy souls, the more we shall be inflamed with desire to save them, O Heart of Jesus, zealous Lover of souls!
The more sin and impurity destroy the image of God in man, the more we shall try by purity of life to be a living temple of the Holy Spirit, O Heart of Jesus!
The more Thy Holy Church is despised, the more we shall endeavor to be her faithful children, O Sweet Heart of Jesus!
The more Thy Vicar on earth is persecuted, the more will we honor him as the infallible head of Thy Holy Church, show our fidelity and pray for him, O kingly Heart of Jesus!
O Sacred Heart, through Thy powerful grace, may we become Thy apostles in the midst of a corrupted world, and be Thy crown in the kingdom of Heaven. Amen.
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