Devotion to the Sacred Heart every day: prayer on February 16th

Pater Noster.

Invocation. - Heart of Jesus, victim of sinners, have mercy on us!

Intention. - Repair for impure thoughts of hatred and pride.

THE CROWN OF THORNS
The Heart of Jesus is represented with a small crown of thorns; thus it was shown to Santa Margherita.

The crowning of thorns that the Redeemer underwent in the Praetorium of Pilate caused him much suffering. Those sharp thorns, stuck mercilessly on the Divine Head, remained there until Jesus died on the Cross. As many writers say, with the crown of thorns Jesus intended to repair the sins that are done especially with the head, that is, the sins of thought.

Wanting to pay particular homage to the Sacred Heart, we reflect today on the sins of thought, not only to avoid them, but also to repair them and console Jesus.

Men see works; God, scrutinizer of hearts, sees thoughts and measures their goodness or malice.

The gross souls in the spiritual life take account of actions and words and give little importance to thoughts, which is why they do not make them the object of examination or even of accusation in confession. They are wrong.

Many pious souls instead, delicate of conscience, usually give too much importance to thoughts and, if they are not well judged, they can fall into the perplexity of conscience or scruple, making the spiritual life heavy, which in itself is sweet.

In the mind there are thoughts, which can be indifferent, good or bad. The responsibility for a thought before God takes place only when its malice is understood and then freely accepted.

Therefore bad imaginations and thoughts are not a sin when they are kept in mind absently, without control of intelligence and without the act of will.

Whoever voluntarily commits a sin of thought, puts a thorn in the Heart of Jesus.

The devil knows the importance of thought and works in everyone's mind either to disturb or to offend God.

The souls of good will, to those who want to please the Heart of Jesus, are suggested the secret, not only of not sinning with thought, but of using the same assaults as the devil. Here is the practice:

1. - The memory of an offense received comes to mind; wounded self-love awakens. Then feelings of aversion and hatred arise. As soon as you become aware of this, tell yourself: Jesus, just as you forgive me my sins, so for your love I forgive my neighbor. Bless who offended me! - Then the devil flees and the soul remains with the peace of Jesus.

2. - A thought of pride, of pride or of vanity magnifies in the mind. By warning him, an act of internal humility should be done immediately.

3. - A temptation against faith causes harassment. Take advantage to make an act of faith: I believe, O God, what you have revealed and the Holy Church proposes to believe!

4. - Thoughts against purity disturb the serenity of the mind. It is Satan who presents images of people, sad memories, occasions of sin ... Stay calm; don't get upset; there is no discussion with temptation; do not do so many tests of conscience; serenely think of something else, after reciting some words.

A suggestion is given, which Jesus gave to Sister Mary of the Trinity: When the image of some person crosses your mind, either it is naturally, or by good or bad spirit, take advantage to pray for it. -

How many sins of thought are fulfilled in the world in all hours! Let us repair the Sacred Heart by saying throughout the day: O Jesus, for your crowning with thorns, forgive the sins of thought!

At each invocation it is as if some thorns were removed from the Heart of Jesus.

One last tip. One of the many ailments in the human body is headache, which is sometimes a real martyrdom either because of its intensity or its duration. Take advantage to do the acts of reparation to the Sacred Heart, saying: «I offer you, Jesus, this headache to repair my sins of thought and those that are being done in this moment in the world! ».

Prayer combined with suffering gives much glory to God.

EXAMPLE
Look at me, my daughter!
The souls who love the Sacred Heart become familiar with the thought of the Passion. When Jesus appeared at Paray-Le Monial, showing his Heart, he also showed the instruments of the Passion and the Wounds.

Those who often meditate on the sufferings of Jesus repair, love and sanctify themselves.

In the palace of the Princes of Sweden a young girl often thought of Jesus Crucified. He was moved by the story of the Passion. His little mind often went back to the most painful scenes of Calvary.

Jesus liked the devoted remembrance of his pains and wanted to reward the pious girl, who was then ten years old. He was crucified and covered in blood. - Look at me, my daughter! ... So they reduced me to the ungrateful, who despise me and don't love me! -
From that day on, little Brigida fell in love with the Crucifix, talked about it with others and wanted to suffer to make herself similar to Him. At a very young age she contracted the wedding and was a model of bride, mother and then widow. One of his daughters became a saint and is St. Catherine of Sweden.

The thought of the Passion of Jesus was for Brigida the life of his life and thus obtained extraordinary favors from God. She had the gift of revelations and with habitual frequency Jesus appeared to her and also Our Lady. The heavenly revelations made to this soul form a precious book full of spiritual teachings.

Brigida reached the heights of holiness and became a glory of the Church by meditating Jesus' Passion with diligence and fruit.

Foil. Immediately remove the thoughts of impurity and hatred.

Ejaculation. Jesus, for your crowning with thorns forgive my sins of thought!