This past week, the Bishops of the United States consecrated the country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The Feast of the Sacred Heart was first observed locally in France in 1675 and was later extended to the universal Church by Pope Pius IX in 1856. Yet the roots of this devotion reach much further back and even touch the life of St. Francis. 

Although the formal devotion to the Sacred Heart developed centuries later, Francis held a deep devotion to the love of Jesus revealed through His Sacred Humanity and His Five Wounds. He is often regarded as an early voice in the tradition of meditating on the suffering love of Christ. 

The Franciscan emphasis on the humanity and suffering of Jesus is frequently seen as a precursor to devotion to the Sacred Heart. St. Bonaventure, one of the great figures of the Franciscan tradition, further developed this focus by reflecting on the Heart of Jesus as a wound of divine love. 

When Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, He is said to have presented St. Francis of Assisi as a guide for her spiritual life, pointing to Francis as one who deeply loved His Heart. 

Francis’ trust in the Heart of Jesus reflected his complete trust in the mercy of God. This emphasis on mercy remains central to the Franciscan tradition today. Like Francis, we are reminded that no sin is beyond forgiveness and that the love of Christ is greater than the brokenness of the world. 

This week, let us place our trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. May we turn to Him with confidence, knowing that His mercy is greater than every sin and that His love never fails.