Bishop Emile Bougaud, 1888: Today We Celebrate The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

It was on June 16, 1675, that the last of the grand revelations relative to the Sacred Heart took place. It was to close the cycle of those solemn disclosures. Until then St. Margaret Mary had received from the Lord only personal favors, very like those with which other holy souls had already been favored. He had only demanded of her some individual practices of devotion. Now however, the hour was come for Him to invest her with a grand public mission.

During the octave of the feast of the Blessed Sacrament, June 16, 1675, Margaret Mary was on her knees before the choir-grate, her eyes fixed on the tabernacle. She had just received “some of the unmeasured graces of His love”. We have no particulars of these graces.

Suddenly the Lord appeared on the altar and disclosed to her His Heart:

“Behold”, said He to her, “this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love. In return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this sacrament of love. What is most painful to Me,” added the Savior, in a tone that went to the Sister’s heart, “is that they are hearts consecrated to Me”.

Then He commanded her to have established in the Church a particular feast to honor His Sacred Heart.

“It is for this reason I ask thee that the first Friday after the octave of the Blessed Sacrament be appropriated to a special feast, to honor My Heart by communicating on that day, and making reparation for the indignity that it has received. And I promise that My Heart shall dilate to pour out abundantly the influences of its love on all that will render it this honor or procure its being rendered”.

(Bishop Emile Bougaud, 1888)