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June 29th, 2019- The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on the Saturday after the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).
Devotion
The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary celebrates the interior life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and above all, her virginal love for God the Father, her maternal love for her son Jesus, and her compassionate love for all persons. Two elements are essential to the devotion, Mary’s interior life and the beauties of her soul, and Mary’s virginal body.
In the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the attraction is the love of her Immaculate Heart for Jesus and for God. Also, love is formed from study and imitation of Mary’s yes to God as the Mother of Jesus. In this devotion, love is more the result, than the “object” of the devotion; the object being rather to love God and Jesus by uniting one’s self to Mary for this purpose and by imitating her virtues, to help one achieve this.
Christians were drawn to the love and virtues of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and this paved the devotion from the beginning. Early Christians had compassion for the Virgin Mary, and the Gospels recount prophecy delivered to her at Jesus’ presentation in the temple, and that her heart would be pierced with a sword.
Depiction of the Immaculate Heart of Blessed Virgin Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Blessed Virgin Mary is typically rendered in Catholic artwork as a bright red anatomical human heart that is pierced with a sword.
- The heart is pierced with a sword. Although this depiction only shows one, traditionally it was pierced with seven swords representing the Seven Sorrows of her life.
- The heart is surrounded by roses. Roses are known as the "queen of flowers" and symbolize Mary as the Queen of Heaven. Roses also depict hidden suffering in their thorny stems and are a connection to Jesus' crown of thorns.
- Atop the heart are lilies. The lily represents Mary's purity as the Virgin Mother of God.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, my Mother, I come to you in childlike prayer.
Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Blessed Virgin Mary
I earnestly desire that all the people of the world may be brought back to the humble knowledge and love of the Sacred Heart of your dear Son.
I pray, dear Mother of my God, that the wonderful beauty and purity of your own Immaculate Heart may so win our souls that we may detest all sin and dedicate our lives to the honor and glory of the God who created us.
You revealed the secrets of your own sad heart at Fatima and begged for penance, prayer, and conversion of the world to God. What more can I do than unite my heart to yours in this great yearning? What can I add but the fervent prayer that all the world may listen to your pleading?
I give my heart to you, my heavenly Queen, and in confidence I leave to you what is best for me in answer to my prayer for love and reparation.
Immaculate Heart of the Mother of my God, I implore through your powerful intercession, the conversion of the hearts of men, complete victory over sin, and the return of the peace which you have promised.
Amen