06/17/2026
Live+Jesus! Our 99th Annual Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus began on June 4th with Father Joseph Mominee as celebrant for the morning and evening Masses. For the nine days preparing for the feast of the Sacred Heart, during the homilies at each Mass, Father preached to us according to a simple plan: through the Mass readings, he would discover for us a secret of Jesus’ Heart that would be revealed by persons who best knew those secrets, namely the Saints.
Mary - of all the things she could have said in response to the Angel Gabriel, Mary chose "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." Her humility drew Him into her womb. The first secret of Jesus’ heart is humility.
St. Boniface knew one secret of the Heart of Jesus: resoluteness -- with docility, but never force.
St. Titus Brandsma knew the secret of Jesus’ Heart: there are no obstacles to His love -- only opportunities.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux - The secret of Jesus’ Heart that she knew so well was that we must embrace our littleness and place all our confidence in Jesus’ merciful love for us. Her secret: “Take God by the heart!”
St. Francisco Marto knew well this mysterious secret of Jesus’s Heart: in His hiddenness is concealed His glory.
St. Jacinta Marto lived and died this secret of Jesus’ Heart: mercy and compassion for sinners.
St. John Fisher, on the morning of his ex*****on, asked his servant to bring him his best clothing. When the servant wondered at such a request on such a day, John Fisher replied, "This is my wedding day!" John Fisher teaches us another secret of Jesus’ Heart: to suffer with the Sacred Heart of Jesus unites us to Him. The crown of thorns around Jesus’ Heart is our wedding ring!
Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko reveals to us a secret of Jesus’ Heart: true freedom lies in our surrender to the truth.
St. Louis, King of France, teaches us that Jesus wants us to be receptive and respond to his love.
St. Joseph teaches us obedience is not weakness. Obedience is greatness!
St Thérèse of Lisieux knew her own nothingness and weakness and this secret of Jesus’ Heart: He is able to set the unlikely offering of our heart on fire with His love -- if only we have the courage to offer all of it to Him.
St. Teresa of Avila - Jesus’ Heart beats for us in heaven. He wants us to have confidence in His love. That is the secret of his Heart that He taught to St. Teresa of Avila and that can be ours if we beg Him to give us the love that will never tire of loving Him.
St. Barnabas teaches us is that Jesus’ love for us is personal, not generic. And only when we realize the depths of His love can we bring Jesus’ love and light to others in our own mission.
St. Margaret Mary teaches us this secret of Jesus’ heart: it is an ocean of love for us!
St. Carlo Acutis was young, but he knew this secret of Jesus’ Heart: Jesus desires to exchange our hearts for His.
For the full text of the sisters’ reflections from the Sacred Heart Novena, visit our website Monastic Musings page – https://toledovisitation.org/2026/06/2026-sacred-heart-novena-reflections/. God be praised!
