St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647–1690) was a French nun and mystic who became the beloved messenger of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. After losing her father at a young age and suffering from a crippling illness for four years, she developed a deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. At age 24, she entered the Visitation convent in Paray-le-Monial. Between 1673 and 1675, Margaret Mary received visions of Jesus, who revealed His Sacred Heart ablaze with love for humanity, yet wounded by sin and ingratitude. He asked her to spread devotion to His Heart through practices like the First Fridays, Holy Hour, and the establishment of a Feast of the Sacred Heart. Though met with skepticism and suffering, she was supported by Blessed Claude de la Colombière, a Jesuit priest who recognized the authenticity of her mission. Her perseverance led to the spread of the devotion across France and eventually the world. She died on October 17, 1690, saying, “I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the Heart of Jesus.” The Church officially recognized the devotion in 1765, and she was canonized in 1920.
Prayer:
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I consecrate myself to You, my life, my joys, and my sufferings.
Be my refuge, my hope, and the love that guides me always. Let Your love be imprinted on my heart forever, and let me live and die in Your service and love. Amen.
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)
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