Behold this Heart
In May 2024, I attended a Colloquium in Rome marking the 350th Jubilee of the Apparitions of the Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Jesus’ words to her, “Behold this Heart which has so loved and only received ingratitude,” invite us to make reparation through prayer, First Fridays, and Adoration.
Honestly, before the conference, I struggled to connect with this devotion. It felt distant, like something of my grandfather’s generation. But in Rome, I came to see it with new eyes.
Before speaking about St. Margaret Mary, our speakers pointed us to Scripture. When Christ confronts Saul, who persecutes Christians, He asks: “Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9). Similarly, in John 20, the Risen Christ shows Thomas His wounds, still present after the resurrection. Both reveal that our sins wound not only others, but Christ Himself, who suffers in solidarity with us.
When faced with this reality, which Jesus spoke to St. Margaret Mary about, we ask how to respond to such love. The Devotion to the Sacred Heart offers a path: reparations rooted in love. I was reminded of a choral piece I once sang, The Conversion of Saul. It shifts from the harsh tones of persecution to the gentle plea: “Fall down on your knees, turn hatred into love.” For me, that line captures the essence of reparation. It is not only about making amends but about the transformation of hearts, from hatred into love.
Salesian Spirituality teaches us to “Live Jesus.” When we do, we participate in Christ’s work of healing. Though only He can fully repair our brokenness, our actions - shaped by faith and love - become His hands, feet, and heart in the world. Paul follows his image of the one body of Christ with his hymn to love (1 Cor 13). For both Paul and St. Margaret Mary, love is inseparable from our interconnectedness.
Pope Francis reminds us: even if “the irreparable cannot be completely repaired, love can always be reborn.”
Through the inspiration of St. Margaret Mary, may we each discern how God is calling us to repair what is broken, and trust His mercy to restore our relationships in love.
Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)
O Heart of Love, I put all my trust in you.
For I fear all things from my own weakness,
but I hope for all things from your goodness.
Amelia Blanton Hibner
Dean of Mission Integration at Visitation Academy in St. Louis
*The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales have a special relationship to the Visitation Sisters, as the Sisters were co-founded by St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal. Mother Marie de Sales Chappuis, VHM, was a key figure who encouraged Blessed Louis Brisson to establish the Oblates!
