Padre Pio and the Sacred Heart

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart. St Pio had a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and everyday prayed the ‘Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart’ for the many hundreds of people who asked him for prayer.

But why the heart? Well, for centuries the heart has been the symbol of love, care and compassion. In biblical terms the heart refers to the very essence of something or someone. Our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, brings us into contact with the very essence of God: Love.

St Pio understood this well and he took refuge in the Love of God each day, bringing with him the sufferings of humanity. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a living yet suffering heart. It’s a heart pierced and crowned with thorns and yet alive. Because the Sacred Heart suffers it understands our suffering and the suffering of the world. It understands through Love and heals through Love – the unquenchable and unfathomable fire of Divine Love.

Let us confidence turn to the Sacred Heart in prayer…

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here)

Our Father. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…

Let us pray:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us. Amen