The Immaculate Heart of Mary is one of the most recognizable images of Our Lady throughout the world. Traditionally, the Catholic Church has dedicated the month of August to the Immaculate Heart, with its feast day originally celebrated on August 22. This feast was later moved to the day after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and was replaced with another celebration, the Queenship of Mary.
August 19th is the Optional Memorial for Saint John Eudes. The Church especially remembers him as the foremost “Father, Doctor and Apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” Not many Catholics know about this special saint and how his great efforts paved the way for the propagation and the liturgical devotion to the Most Pure Heart of Mary. Read on to learn more about this holy man and his life example.
Saint John Eudes was a miracle baby somehow because his devout farmer parents in Normandy, France, used to be childless for a while until they prayed in a Shrine dedicated to Mary and asked for Our Lady’s intercession. Soon, in November 1601, John was born, and five more siblings came after him. Even as a child, he had always shown how he wanted to follow Jesus, in the way he treated his loved ones and neighbors, and to offer himself to the Lord, in his early vow of chastity and desire to become a priest, which he later fulfilled.
Truly, Saint John Eudes cherished the value of life that God had given him, not just by practicing Church routines, habits or ceremonies that evoked “feel good” piousness. He showed much appreciation for his God-given life through his words– preached touching sermons and wrote remarkable books; his deeds– graciously cared for the needy, sick and oppressed, defended holiness and rejected ungodliness; and most importantly, his heart– filled with passionate love for Jesus and His Blessed Mother, and with kindness, humility, mercy and compassion for other people.
Unlike Saint John Eudes, notice how some ordinary people nowadays are motivated to take part in parishes or church groups, for their own ‘benefit’ – like being there makes them seem ‘popular’ within a social circle, or helps them ‘look past’ their personal shortcomings that they must be responsible for or simply ‘feel good’ about themselves, or gives them some ‘convenient’ pastime or place to be. Are you one of them?
It’s true that our Church is in need of workers, and it’s great when people come to serve or volunteer. But God knows our real intentions. He sees through our souls, and no amount of extra religious activity can equal a clean and pure heart that does genuine acts of love, care and humility. A gentle, consoling word of love to one’s family, a caring, compassionate gesture of mercy to the poor, or a contrite, heartfelt sorry to a loved one, will earn far more merit, I think, compared to an hour’s worth of excess church activity done for some personal benefit.
To such regard, Saint John Eudes resolutely believed that the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the Model of all virtues, and all those who seek to sincerely serve God and strive for true holiness must imitate Mary, Most Pure of Heart. Thus, from the confessional to the pulpit, writing to preaching, mission after mission, Saint John Eudes dedicated himself to establishing and spreading the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I want to emphasize here that Saint John Eudes had the utmost reverence for and the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but he knew through divine inspiration that the only way for the Church of God to follow Jesus is through Mary, His Mother; for the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary are ever inseparable.
Saint John Eudes was Founder of religious congregations, which sought to model Mary’s charity and chastity. He was a missionary for the devotion in various dioceses across France, and a great spiritual author of various books such as “The Admirable Heart of Mary.” Likewise, he wrote the first ever liturgical worship for the Feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary.
Afterward, the good saint started his mission around the year 1641, at a time when very few religious knew about or practiced some devotion to the Immaculate Heart. But heavenly affirmation later came for this holy man. One, in the year 1688, through mystic nun Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque who had a vision of Two Divine Hearts, the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and later became a fervent Disciple of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart.
The other spiritual link was through a miraculous event in the year 1830 to another French nun, which many consider to have provided a great “impetus” to the devotion first promulgated by Saint John Eudes. This Sister of Charity was Saint Catherine Labouré, who was given by Our Lady the vision of the Miraculous Medal, bearing the Heart of Jesus, circled with thorns, together with the Heart of Mary, pierced with sword of sorrow. The Medal was a heavenly manifestation and proof of the perfect union of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, first taught by Saint John Eudes. We remember Saint Catherine Labouré on her feast day, 28th of November.
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Speaking of August 19, it’s not my birthday, but on that day, I received a gift. Actually, I received a couple of graces from God. The first one was a gift. Having it alone has been a great comfort to me and fostered more bonding in my loving family. What makes this gift more special though was the timing and manner by which I got it. Only God can make things work that way. I must admit that the lovable gift has made me busy and kept me preoccupied for a few days now. Simply, it’s providential. The second grace was related to Psalm 139, which ponders on the ever-presence and all-knowingness of God. Our Blessed Mother used this Psalm as an answer to my prayer, a small miracle given to me. It’s wonderful, because this Psalm is interconnected with this article.
I think everyone likes a nice surprise, big or small; and I was grateful knowing that I received such when it wasn’t even my birthday that day.
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Of course we know through our Catholic faith that the mission for all of us who are living- that our mission in this earthly life is to do the will of God, which is to love God above all, and to love our neighbors as ourselves; To live in faith, hope, but most of all, love. That means that we should constantly examine ourselves whether we are obeying the Commandments of God. But doing the will of God, and living in holiness, doesn’t stop with just avoiding sin or being ‘less of a sinner.’ Our personal Patron Saints, like Saint John Eudes, must be our models in learning the faith and living it as well. As Catholics, we are taught that faith must be coupled with good works, including the “corporal works of mercy.” We must live with compassion, understanding, mercy, and kindness to the people around us.
We learned that the birth of Saint John Eudes was God’s answered prayer to his parents. In turn, the Saint honored God for such grace through his spiritual efforts, and simple expressions of kindness, patience, and compassion; in words, deeds, and heart, like I’ve said.
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Indeed, we must always reflect if we are living righteously in the eyes of God. Whether the Lord gave us a second chance to live, or answered a petition we’ve been praying for, or blessed us in any way in this life, we can always show our appreciation, praise, and thanksgiving to Him in the way we live our lives.
What kind of person have you become out of the graces granted to you? God has given you life so that you may love as He loves, and imitate the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, like Saint John Eudes did all his life. Perhaps you always go to Adoration, read Catholic books, or join Parish activities. Those are good practices of religiosity. But be guarded and watchful, because no matter how religious you are, it all mean less when your ways are not pleasing to God; when you’re not kind, meek, and compassionate where it matters, like how you carry yourself and treat your loved ones.
- Am I selfish?
When all you see are your feelings and circumstances, and you act or decide without regard to how it would affect or hurt another, then you’re being selfish.
- Am I prideful?
To recognize your weaknesses and shortcomings is to be humble. But if you’re full of pride, you cannot admit even to yourself when you are mistaken or where you are getting it wrong.
- Do I apologize and say I am sorry?
Feeling sorry is different from actually saying that you’re sorry and meaning it. Sometimes you have to apologize even if it’s not entirely your bad. All the more you should when it’s really on you. But are you like those people who are obviously at fault, but still don’t say sorry?
- Do I act rudely during conflict?
It’s easy to be polite in good times. But when there’s conflict, your manners and actions can suddenly become disrespectful if you allow yourself to be.
- Do I break people’s hearts?
Sometimes you don’t seem to realize or acknowledge that the things you do are heartbreaking for your family or loved ones, especially when you assume you’re right; but you must know. What’s worse is when you know that your words and actions are hurtful to someone but you say and do them anyway.
- Am I grateful?
You’re quick to say thank you when you receive goods or favors. But are you also quick to forget the kindness others showed you? Not that people want something in return for their generosity. But if you’re grateful, you say it in words, and show it too in action by being kind in return, both in good and bad times.
Those questions above are there to help us examine the words and deeds that come out of our hearts. You’d be stunned to realize that you could fall into temptation sometimes, wherein your actions toward people do not reflect your faith and religiousness but actually show the opposite.
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Let me wrap up my Reflections with the touching lines from my favorite Tagalog Catholic song, “Sino Ako?” This song is commonly sung during Mass here in the Philippines. In the song, the singer acknowledges how a person’s life, his life, is a gift, humbly borrowed from the Almighty God. He didn’t choose to be born; but even so, he’s thankful that he was. Being born has been a joy for him because man has dignity. He muses about how he ought to love, as God is Love. Without love, he asks, sino ako, “Who Am I?”
The words of the chorus beautifully express it:
If I don’t love (Kung ‘di ako umibig)
If I don’t give value (Kung ‘di ko man bigyang halaga)
The life that is a gift; (Ang buhay na handog)
My life that is borrowed from God (Ang buhay kong hiram sa Diyos)
If I’m not loving (Kung ‘di ako nagmamahal)
Who am I? (Sino ako?)
With Saint John Eudes or other Saints as inspiration, immerse yourself in the person of the song and contemplate on your answer. If you’re not gentle in your words, if you’re not humble in your deeds, if you’re not loving with all your heart, then who are you?
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Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
St. John Eudes, pray for us!
St. Joseph, pray for us!
Mama Mary, pray for us!
Amen.
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