Today’s catechesis will require us to look back a couple of days to the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, celebrated on June 27, and the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, celebrated on June 28. These are two beloved devotions in our Catholic faith and worthy of a look into their history and significance.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus traces its origins to the earliest centuries of Christianity and is rooted in Scripture. After Jesus’ death on the cross, a soldier pierced his side with a lance, and blood and water flowed out (John 19:34). This event was interpreted by the Church Fathers as an unveiling of Christ’s love and the birth of the Church, linking the blood and water flowing from his heart to the sacraments of the Church. By the 11th and 12th centuries, devotion to the Sacred Heart began to take a more explicit form, primarily due to the Benedictine and Cistercian orders. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a Cistercian monk, taught that Christ’s pierced side revealed his goodness and charity for humanity. Later, from the 13th through the 16th centuries, devotion to the Sacred Heart further developed under the influence of the Franciscans and Dominicans. Saints Bonaventure, Albert the Great, and Catherine of Siena promoted devotion to Christ’s heart, from which love and grace flow, emphasizing his compassion and mercy.

The devotion to the Sacred Heart, as we know it today, came about in the 17th century. Between 1673 and 1675, Jesus appeared several times to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun in France. Jesus revealed to her that his heart was “burning with love for humanity” and was wounded by humanity’s indifference and ingratitude. He called for a feast day dedicated to his Sacred Heart to serve as an act of reparation for the damage caused to his heart by our sins. The Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was formally established in the universal Church by Pope Pius IX in 1856 as a moveable feast to be celebrated on the first Friday after the Corpus Christi octave.

The image of the Sacred Heart is rich in symbolism and theological significance. The heart is aflame, topped with a cross, and encircled with a crown of thorns. The heart is also often pierced with or without a spear in the wound. This image reminds us of Christ’s passion, his burning love for us, and the damage our sin does to his heart. In 1956, Pope Pius XII wrote an encyclical entitled Haurietis Aquas (“You Shall Draw Waters”): On Devotion to the Sacred Heart. In it, he explains that the heart itself also has theological significance, as it reminds us that Jesus has a human heart, emphasizing that his humanity and divinity are inseparable. The pope says that in human terms, the heart signifies the guiding force behind our emotions, love, and our will to act. So, we are reminded that, through the Incarnation, when God came to us in the flesh, Jesus loves and acts with a perfect, divine charity and will. Through the Heart of Jesus, God’s love is poured out, and humanity is reconciled to God.

Moving on to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we find that this devotion is also rooted in Scripture. The Gospel of Luke twice refers to Mary pondering the mysteries of Christ in her heart (Luke 2:19, 2:51). This calls us to reflect on her interior life and love. In Luke 2:35, Simeon prophesies that a “sword shall pierce through your own soul also,” foreshadowing the suffering Mary would endure, especially at the foot of the cross. Like the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, several saints had a hand in promoting devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Still, St. John Eudes (1601-1680) is credited for being particularly instrumental in popularizing the term “Immaculate Heart” and linking it closely with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 1648, St. John composed the first Mass and divine office in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and wrote the first book on devotion to the Sacred Hearts entitled Le Coeur Admirable de la Très Sainte Mère de Dieu (The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God). In 1917, the Blessed Virgin appeared to the three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, delivering a message about the need for conversion, prayer (especially the Rosary), and reparation to her Immaculate Heart. Finally, in 1944, Pope Pius XII instituted the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to be celebrated annually on August 22. Later, in 1969, Pope Paul VI moved the celebration to the Saturday following the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary is often depicted as pierced with seven swords, symbolizing the Seven Sorrows of Mary. It is usually surrounded by roses, representing her virtue and purity. Like Jesus’ heart, Mary’s is often shown aflame to indicate that she is burning with maternal love for Jesus, but also a spiritual mother’s love for humanity and wants us to conform our hearts to her Son’s out of love for us. Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary emphasizes an imitation of her virtues and making reparation for sin.

There is a call to a united devotion to the two hearts of Jesus and Mary. Mary’s heart was, and is, perfectly united and conformed to Jesus’ heart and will by virtue of her Immaculate Conception. When she gave her fiat to become the Mother of God, she agreed to everything that would come with that. Therefore, there is no distinction between what is in Mary’s and Jesus’ hearts. In fact, their hearts are so unified that St. John Eudes described them as “one single heart” united in purpose and love. The liturgical calendar reinforces this by placing their feasts consecutively, inviting the faithful to honor both hearts as a pathway to God.

In closing, I will share some devotional practices recommended for Catholics seeking deeper devotion to the two hearts. If you have not done some of these things already, consider trying something new.

First Fridays: Attend Mass and receive Communion on nine consecutive first Fridays of the month in honor of the Sacred Heart, in response to Christ’s request to St. Margaret Mary.

First Saturdays: Attend Mass, go to Confession, pray the Rosary, and meditate for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Rosary on five consecutive first Saturdays of the month in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Consecration: Personal or communal consecration to the Sacred Heart and/or the Immaculate Heart as a sign of love, trust, and commitment.

Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the Home: This is a tradition in which a family places an image of the Sacred Heart in their home and formally dedicates their household to Christ. Often, images of the Two Hearts are enthroned together.

Prayer and Reparation: Daily acts of love, prayers of reparation, and frequent reception of the sacraments.

Chaplets: Pray the Chaplet of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Chaplet of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Chaplet of the Two Hearts, or the Fatima Chaplet of Adoration and Reparation.

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