TRIREGNUM sensus catholicus

Devotion to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus is most dear to me. It is through this devotion that I came to know Christ personally as a young boy before my first holy communion. I grew up observing the nine first Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Like so many others, I had known about God and had learned my prayers but I never had as of yet experienced God in a personal way. I was taught that God created me in His image and likeness and that He loved me but it was an intellectual knowledge rather than one of the heart. This is to me what sets Christianity as a revelation apart from other religions: God has revealed Himself to us in Christ Jesus who St Paul in his letter to the Hebrews says, "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high"

We believe that Jesus is God incarnate. Upon being asked by Philip to be shown God the Father,  "Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father also. How sayest thou, Shew us the Father? " John 14:9   Often Protestants will speak of when they "came to Christ" and this can be puzzling for a Catholic. However, all who bear the name Christian must answer the call of the Heart of Jesus:  "28Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. 29Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. 30For my yoke is sweet and my burden light." MT 11:28-30

 We must all strive to grow in a deep relationship with the Heart of Jesus apart from an intellectual knowledge of Him as the second person in the Blessed Trinity.  How can we love someone we do not know? For the Heart of Jesus knows us thoroughly, He knows our sins, our weaknesses, our faults, our hopes, our dreams, our longings, our aspirations. He knows what we are capable of if we abide in Him. Just as He knows to what depths we plummet when left to our own devices. Yet, in spite of it all He continues to love us. It was when I realized that the Heart of Jesus loved me despite my wretchedness that He became my hope of ever transcending that same abyss of wretchedness through His grace. "38For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

By frequent visits I come closer to that wonderful union with God which He desires to grant me in my daily life. Each visit can bring me nearer to Him in true friendship.  I need no special formula, no particular prayers, no unusual requirements. All that I need is to present myself before Him, talking if I so wish, listening if I am so disposed, or simply staying with Him.  He is more interested in me than anyone else.  Though I may feel very dull, He is interested in my thoughts, my desires, my needs, hopes, ambitions, efforts, and labors.  My daily life is a matter of the highest importance to Him.   He is glad to see me come because each visit gives Him another excuse to grant me more blessings.  He is there for love of me.  I ought to visit Him often for love of Him.

O sacred heart of Jesus, I place my trust in thee,
Whatever may befall me, Lord, though dark the hour may be;
In all my woes, in all my joys, though nought but grief I see,
O sacred heart of Jesus, I place my trust in thee.

When those I loved have passed away, and I am sore distressed,
O sacred heart of Jesus, I fly to thee for rest.
In all my trials, great or small, my confidence shall be
Unshaken as I cry, dear Lord, I place my trust in thee.

This is my one sweet prayer, dear Lord, my faith, my trust, my love,
But most of all in that last hour, when death points up above,
O sweet savior, may thy face smile on my soul all free.
Oh may I cry with rapturous love, I've placed my trust in thee.

 How do we get to know the Heart of Jesus? Firstly, by meditating upon the gospels and engraving them upon our own hearts. Secondly, by conversing with Him often. How can we come to know our dearest friend if we do not converse with Him? I was taught as a young boy to often make visits to Jesus in the tabernacle. If we haven't access to a Church, we can nevertheless converse with Him in sweet discourse at work, in our home or anywhere we happen to find ourselves. We can rest assured that He is the one friend who will never reject us. We can share all of our troubles and concerns with Him. Unlike our family and friends,  He never tires nor becomes weary by our neediness. We can trust Him in his promises. He will never forsake us: "for he hath said: I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee."  Hebrews 13:5  when all others leave or forsake us be they family or friends the Heart of Jesus remains with us for He says, "behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20.  if we but cleave to Him, " Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me." John 15:4

Prayer of Confidence of Saint Claude De La Colombiere

My God, I believe most firmly that Thou watchest over all who hope in Thee, and that we can want for nothing when we rely upon Thee in all things; therefore I am resolved for the future to have no anxieties, and to cast all my cares upon Thee.
People may deprive me of worldly goods and of honors; sickness may take from me my strength and the means of serving Thee; I may even lose Thy grace by sin; but my trust shall never leave me. I will preserve it to the last moment of my life, and the powers of hell shall seek in vain to wrestle it from me.

Let others seek happiness in their wealth, in their talents; let them trust to the purity of their lives, the severity of their mortifications, to the number of their good works, the fervor of their prayers; as for me, O my God, in my very confidence lies all my hope. “For Thou, O Lord, singularly has settled me in hope.” This confidence can never be in vain. “No one has hoped in the Lord and has been confounded.”

I am assured, therefore, of my eternal happiness, for I firmly hope for it, and all my hope is in Thee. “In Thee, O Lord, I have hoped; let me never be confounded.”

I know, alas! I know but too well that I am frail and changeable; I know the power of temptation against the strongest virtue. I have seen stars fall from heaven, and pillars of firmament totter; but these things alarm me not. While I hope in Thee I am sheltered from all misfortune, and I am sure that my trust shall endure, for I rely upon Thee to sustain this unfailing hope.

Finally, I know that my confidence cannot exceed Thy bounty, and that I shall never receive less than I have hoped for from Thee. Therefore I hope that Thou wilt sustain me against my evil inclinations; that Thou wilt protect me against the most furious assults of the evil one, and that Thou wilt cause my weakness to triumph over my most powerful enemies. I hope that Thou wilt never cease to love me, and that I shall love Thee unceasingly. “In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; let me never be confounded.”

Amen