Call to Holiness

On the feast day of Saint Margaret Mary of Alacoque, we are reminded of the presence of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our lives. Jesus revealed his loving mercy through his Heart to St. Margaret Mary.

In her recollection of her special time with Jesus through visions, Margaret Mary, a sister of the Visitation of Holy Mary, saw three continuous streams from His sacred heart. Here is what she saw and learned:

• One stream was that of MERCY. From his sacred heart flows help given to the sinner enabling and leading to contrition for sin and a commitment to a life of repentance.

• Another stream flowed with CHARITY given to those who really want to live a holy life (in the old language, a life of perfection or the devout life.) This is modeled on St. Francis de Sales’ Introduction to the Devout Life. This loving stream of Charity enables one to make the further commitment to focus on and live a holy life in Christ.

• The third-stream flows with LOVE and LIGHT for those who wish to advance in the life of perfection (the devout life, a life of holiness.) Reading and studying St. Francis de Sales’ Treatise on the Love of God will help those who want to further advance in holiness (perfection, devotion) which continues the journey of faith with the aim of revealing the glory that belongs to God.

Those who seriously want to be ‘perfect’ – holy by living the life of devotion will be helped to make the commitment to focus not on self but on the presence of Jesus through his sacred heart flowing with mercy, charity, love and light – all for the glory of God.