The Origins of the Sacred Heart & Holy Face Devotions

This Holy Triduum, particularly the feasts of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, are the beginnings of these beautiful and necessary devotions. When reading the passage of the Last Supper, just after the Mandatum, we read of Our Blessed Lord’s betrayal by Judas. St John the beloved was leaning upon the breast of Our Lord when He declared His betrayal was at hand. St John was nearest to His Sacred Heart when It was most certainly in anguish – the place where we are invited to be this day, and everyday.

St John 13:21-30

21 After saying so much, Jesus bore witness to the distress he felt in his heart; Believe me, he said, believe me, one of you is to betray me. 22 And the disciples looked at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 Jesus had one disciple, whom he loved, who was now sitting with his head against Jesus’ breast; 24 to him, therefore, Simon Peter made a sign, and asked him, Who is it he means? 25 And he, leaning his head back upon Jesus’ breast, asked him, Lord, who is it? 26 Jesus answered, It is the man to whom I give this piece of bread which I am dipping in the dish. Then he dipped the bread, and gave it to Judas the son of Simon, the Iscariot. 27 The morsel once given, Satan entered into him; and Jesus said to him, Be quick on thy errand. 28 None of those who sat there could understand the drift of what he said; 29 some of them thought, since Judas kept the common purse, that Jesus was saying to him, Go and buy what we need for the feast, or bidding him give some alms to the poor. 30 He, as soon as he received the morsel, had gone out; and now it was night.

Then today, Good Friday, as Our Blessed Lord, mocked, scourged, and derided, carried the cross, He was met by a pious woman on the road to Calvary. She wiped His face covered with blood, sweat, dust and spittal, with her mantle. Our Lord, as a gift for her great love and courage, left upon her veil the image of His Holy Countenance. Let us be like St Veronica; let us console Our Blessed Lord. Let us make reparation for the sins which offend God the most in these modern times: the sins of Blasphemy, the profanation of Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation, and Communism.