Novena for the Feast of the Sacred Heart.
O ADORABLE Jesus! Who hast discovered to us Thy most Sacred Heart, that we may form some idea of the extent of Thy love, send forth Thy light and Thy grace into our hearts, that we may value as we ought so precious a favor. We adore thee, O infinitely amiable Heart, and beseech thee to receive our adorations, in union with those thou thyself renderest to the Divinity on our altars, in union with the perfect homage of all thy saints, and in particular, in union with the unceasing adorations of the heavenly spirits, who crowd thy sanctuary during this glorious solemnity, and honor the presence of thy amiable Heart on our altars. Yet it is not for those pure and ardent spirits that thou burnest with love in the Holy Eucharist, it is for us, it is for all creatures, even for those who are most unmindful of all thy mercies.
But though all the world should forget Thee, O divine Victim of charity, surely we, at least, should return Thee love for love, since Thou hast loved us with an eternal charity, and selected us long before our existence, as the favorites of Thy Divine Heart, the objects of its tenderest affection and peculiar favors. Penetrated with the confidence which should arise from the recollection of all Thou hast already done for us, and art willing to do for those who trust in thee, we humbly represent our present necessities to Thee, O adorable Heart, the Fountain of all grace, the Ocean of mercy and exhaustless Source of consolation and strength! We most fervently entreat thee to infuse into our hearts the dispositions thou requirest, and then, for thine own sake, to grant the earnest petitions of this novena.
Thou art, O Furnace of love, a public Victim. Thy mercies and graces are offered to all who will only ask, that they may receive; but Thy tenderest compassion seems peculiarly directed to all unhappy sinners.
For them Thou wert overwhelmed with sorrow in the Garden of Olives, and wounded on the cross; for them we most particularly pray, and most earnestly entreat the grace of conversion.
For ourselves, and every member of this Community,
