Some Catholic parishes hold public devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the First Fridays of every month. A First Fridays devotion will include a public Mass in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and often a Holy Hour of adoration and an Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart. If your church does not do a First Fridays devotion, you can ask your pastor to consider it.
What is a First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was a French nun that was born in 1647 and died in 1690. At the tender age of 8, her father passed away, and she was sent to the Poor Clares School. While there she developed rheumatic fever, and was bedridden for about 4 years. This was perhaps what drew her toward a life of prayer at a young age. She became bedfast with illness for four years. At age 15, while praying to the Virgin Mary for her intercession, she promised to consecrate herself to Religious Life, and was instantly healed. Shortly afterward she entered the Visitation Convent and became a Nun.
When Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was 20 years old she began receiving numerous visions of Jesus and revelations from Him.
During her revelations, Jesus instructed Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque about His desire for the observance of the Nine First Fridays and for the establishment of a feast day to honor His Sacred Heart.
His revelations and visions asked Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque to promote this new devotion to His Sacred Heart. Our Lord made twelve promises to those devoted to His Heart.
The First Fridays Devotion Criteria
- Attend Mass on the First Friday of the Month for 9 consecutive months
- Receive communion
- Go to confession
Confession is not often provided on a First Friday. Confession is required to receive communion worthily if you are not in a state of grace. You may go to confession within 8 days of the First Friday devotion and still meet the requirements for this devotion, so get into the habit of a monthly confession on the last Saturday of the month in preparation for a First Fridays devotion.
“In the excess of the mercy of my heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.”
How the First Fridays Devotion Began
The first time Jesus appeared to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque He gave a startling and harsh message.
She describes, “As soon as I went to pray, Jesus presented Himself to me covered with sores, asking me to look at the gash on His Sacred Side: a bottomless pit dug by an enormous arrow of love.”
Pointing at His wounds, Jesus spoke these harsh words:
Behold at what state my chosen people have reduced me to, they whom I had destined to appease justice, but instead secretly persecute me! If they do not repent, I will punish them severely. Having preserved my just ones, I will immolate all others to the fury of my wrath.
The First Fridays devotion offer reparation for the innumerable offenses committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was formally recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII.
Prayer of Trust in Jesus' Sacred Heart
Trust in Jesus Prayer
In all my trials,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In all my sorrows,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In all my work,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In every failure,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Amen.
Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself in order to testify to its love! And in return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love.
The 12 Promises of Jesus
- I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
- I will give peace in their families.
- I will console them in all their troubles.
- They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of death.
- I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
- Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
- Tepid souls shall become fervent.
- Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
- I will bless the homes in which the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.
- I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
- Those who propagate this devotion shall have their name written in My Heart, and it shall never be effaced.
- The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under My displeasure, nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Heart shall be their assured refuge at the last hour.
First Friday Prayers
Prayer of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pray in Eucharistic adoration a holy hour dedicated to your parish priest.
Promote the First Fridays Devotion
Download this First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Learn More about First Fridays and First Saturdays
Fr. Chris Alar is a priest of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception in Stockbridge, MA. This order promotes the devotion to the Divine Mercy at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy.
In this video, Fr. Alar discusses the First Fridays devotion and the First Saturdays devotion. He explains what the faithful should do to receive the graces promised by Jesus and Mary. He talks about how each of us can fulfill these devotions.