By Blue Army Staff
Having your home enthroned to the Sacred Heart can open the door to peace and preservation of marriage and family life.
In December 1673 at Paray-le-Monial, France, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and revealed his Sacred Heart as a symbol of his love for mankind, saying, “My divine Heart is so inflamed with love for mankind…that it can no longer contain within itself the flames of its burning charity and must spread them abroad by your means.” She described that his Heart was on fire and surrounded by a crown of thorns. Our Lord told her that the flames represented his love for humanity, and the thorns represented man’s sinfulness and ingratitude. Jesus gave her a mission to establish the devotion to his Sacred Heart, and revealed twelve promises that He would bestow upon all those who practice the devotion, which became known as the Nine First Fridays. In the final revelation, the Lord asked that a feast of reparation be instituted for the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi.
As St. Margaret Mary was left on earth to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, so at Fatima Sister Lucia was left on earth to spread devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a heart inseparable from Jesus Christ. On December 10, 1925, the Most Holy Virgin appeared to Sister Lucia with the Child Jesus by her side, elevated on a cloud of light. Our Lady rested one hand on Lucia’s shoulder while in the other hand she held a heart surrounded with sharp thorns. At the same time the Child Jesus spoke: “Have pity on the heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation.” He later foretold to Sister Lucia and expressed his desire that the devotion to her Immaculate Heart would spread throughout the world and eventually be placed alongside the devotion to His Sacred Heart.
The Church has attempted to manifest this union in a visible manner by moving the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary so that it is now on the day after the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The two feasts are thus side by side on the Friday and Saturday within the octave of the feast of Corpus Christi (this year on Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13).
Enthronement of the Sacred Hearts in the Home
It cannot be denied that the evil of the present times targets principally the family, the cell of the human society. Sister Lucia herself revealed that the final battle of Satan against the reign of God will be over marriage and family. If there is to be any hope of betterment, families, one by one, must be restored to Jesus Christ, they must be renewed by his Divine Spirit. The more complete and secure the reign of Christ over families, the more secure will be his reign over society and nations. Popes of modern times have expressed their wish that all families consecrate themselves to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and have their homes enthroned.
By enthroning our homes, Jesus tells us, “My people, whom I love so dearly, behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come unto him and eat with him and he with me.” (Rv 3:30)
In one of the 12 promises, Jesus told St. Margaret Mary, “I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart is set up and honored.”
The World Apostolate of Fatima Home Enthronement program invites the family to create a special place where the Sacred Heart image is displayed and honored alongside an image of the Immaculate Heart. During the ceremony, the head of the household leads the family through the prayers with the priest, who then blesses the entire home and family. The ceremony ends with the family praying an act of consecration to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. It may be preceded by a week of preparation through daily prayers and family Rosary with an image of Our Lady. In this way, the Blessed Mother can lead the family to her Son and prepare them for His coming into the home – the domestic church – and being enthroned as King.
“When you have your home enthroned to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, you trust all that is most precious in your heart to Theirs. That complete trust and surrender allows Jesus and Mary to tend to the most prominent needs of your home and family,” said Kristin Stravinsky, Home Enthronement program coordinator. “The 12 promises will happen in some way most needed for you and your family.”
One of the aims of the program is to win souls for Christ. It calls for a spirit of sacrifice for the conversion of souls. A good way to win soul is by inviting family members and friends to the enthronement ceremony, especially those who are not practicing their faith. The family’s witness can be an instrument in bringing them back to God. The prayers recited by the family together at the ceremony often stir a Catholic to return to the fold. Seeing the priest bless the house and enthrone Christ as its King can awaken an unbeliever to the power of God’s sacred word.
Many families are also seeking peace in a world that has fallen into modernism and materialism. Their home provides a sanctuary from the world, truly a domestic church, with Christ at its center. Indeed, we need only look to the Holy Family of Nazareth – the first home to be enthroned with the living presence of the Heart of Jesus, his holy Mother and St. Joseph, patron of families.
Stravinsky said there are many testimonials from the families who have enthroned their homes and she has witnessed conversions within the family, disturbances leaving the home and replaced with a holy peace and harmony, children growing in virtue, and marriages renewed.
“Some become so in love and on fire for the Lord and the Blessed Mother, they take on roles of promoting Home Enthronements and the Rosary,” she added. “The Home Enthronement is not only for homes, but also for businesses and schools. There have been toxic work environments transformed into team building sanctuaries. The Sacred Heart of Jesus knows our every interior and exterior need. His heart beats with so much strength and love for each one of us, and He can bring peace to any situation.”
During this holy month of June, we invite you to pray and give honor to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and consider inviting Him into your home and family through a Home Enthronement.
For more information about our program, contact Kristin Stravinsky at 903-495-2020 or [email protected].
