First Fridays of the Month
‘I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that Its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on nine first Fridays of consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they will not die under My displeasure or without receiving their sacraments, My divine Heart making Itself their assured refuge at the last moment.'”
The above Great Promise was made by Our Lord Jesus Christ in one of His apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alocoque (1647-1690) in which He asked for the spread of the devotion to His Most Sacred Heart. Jesus sharing with St Mary Margaret the pain and sorrow of His Heart said to her in 1675:
„Behold this heart which, not withstanding the burning love for men with which it is consumed and exhausted, meets with no other return from most Christians than sacrilege, contempt, indifference and ingratitude, even in the sacrament of my love [the Eucharist]. But what pierces my heart most deeply is that I am subjected to these insults by persons especially consecrated to my service.”
The Devotion of the Nine First Fridays of the Month together with the Solemnity of the Most sacred Heart of Jesus, on the first friday after the octave of Corpus Christi, then offers an opportunity to wholeheartedly make reparations for the lack of love for our Redeemer and for offences against Him, who is in a special way present in the Sacrament of the Altar.
For this reason Our Lord asks those who want to follow Him, to keep Him company for an hour every Thursday night from 11:00 pm and to receive the Holy Communion every First Friday of nine consecutive months in the spirit of reparation for sins and cold indifference of too many, as well as gratitude and love for Him. To worthily participate in the Feast of Our Lord and receive the fullness of grace, it is recommended to practice also the First Friday confession, preferably on the very friday, and to attend Holy Mass. It is crucial to do all those acts with the intention of making the reparation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In return for the dedication to fulfill His wish, Our Lord grants those who practice the Nine First Fridays Devotion the following 12 graces, among them the so called Great Promise (12):
1. I will give them all of the graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I will establish peace in their homes.
3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
4. I will be their strength during life and above all during death.
5. I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall grow fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
9. I will bless every place where a picture of my heart shall be set up and honored.
10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.
12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant all to those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.
Pilgrims at Jasna Góra can join the devotion of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on the First Fridays of the month by singing the Litany to the Most Sacred Heart after Holy Mass in the Chapel of the Miraculous Icon at 6:30 pm and earlier for the Holy Mass celebrated in the Chapel of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Basilica at 9:00 am.
Thank you Jesus for all your love so generously poured upon all humanity.
Please accept our little kisses: prayers and acts of love with which we wish to make atonement for our sins, comfort Your Loving Heart and be with You in the pain You suffer in those who turn away from You.
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
Photo Archive: Jasna Góra Press Office