Cobblestones and horses on narrow, crowded streets. Rising above the crowded roofline is a church made in stone and glass. There was no need for watches. The bell tower kept track of time for you. If you were one of the lucky few to be nobility, your life expectancy was 50-60 years. If you were a peasant, your life expectancy was 30-40 years. Sickness and pain were frequent companions. Such was life in medieval Europe into the early modern period.
It was during this time of human history that the great cathedrals and basilicas were constructed, reminding us that heaven isn’t far away. It was also during these centuries that the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus developed and flourished. Have you ever wondered why?
Margaret Mary was born in 1647 in the small town of L’Hautecour, Burgundy. She struggled with a paralyzing illness throughout her childhood that would often keep her bedridden. She didn’t have Netflix, the internet or video games. She did, however, have a close relationship with Jesus and would spend much of her day in prayer. So close was she to Jesus, that at a young age she promised him a life of virginity so she could devote herself entirely to him.
Her life could have gone several directions as she approached young adulthood. However, an intense vision of Jesus suffering reminded her of her promise to become a sister. As a nun, her visions of Jesus intensified. When she was ready, the Lord revealed to her his Sacred Heart that promises tender love to those who seek his mercy.
She was, of course, not the first to experience the Sacred Heart of Jesus. St. Bernard of Clairvaux in the 12th century and St. Gertrude and St. Mechtilde in the 13th century stand out as notable examples. St. John Eudes published the book “The Devotion to the Adorable Heart of Jesus” in 1670.
St. Margaret Mary’s visions of the Sacred Heart began in 1673, and the devotion spread. In 1856, Pope Pius IX added the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the Church’s calendar. It is still celebrated to this day on the Friday following the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
Over the years, the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has waned. We are, after all, far more comfortable and entertained than our medieval counterparts. However, opulence and distractions can also make us spiritually numb, dull our conscience and diminish our ability to love others, including the person we see in the mirror. In our moments of hurt and guilt, worry and shame, Jesus stands waiting.
The invitation of the U.S. bishops to renew our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus this year makes very good sense. With war, poverty, injustice and sin polluting what is beautiful in our world, a renewed devotion to the Sacred Heart is the right medicine at the right time.
Along the busy streets of modernity, the Church still rises above the rooflines reminding us of heaven.
This article appeared in the June/July 2026 issue of Northwest Catholic Magazine. Read the rest of the issue here.