In the Heart of Christ: A Reflection for the Feast of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
In the Heart of Christ
“This divine heart is an abyss of all blessings, and into it the poor should submerge all their needs.”
— St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
On this feast of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the faithful servant entrusted with the mission of spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we’re invited to draw near to the wounded yet overflowing heart of Christ. It is in the Sacred Heart of Christ where we can rest, receive, and respond.
St. Margaret Mary describes the Sacred Heart as a “fountain” that desires to pour itself out into our hearts, “to free them and prepare them to lead lives according to His good pleasure.” St. Paul reminds us:
“...to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)
The Heart of Jesus is not an abstract symbol—it is living, burning, personal love. And it wants to reach you.
She speaks of three streams flowing from this heart:
Mercy for the sinner.
Charity for those struggling on the path.
Light and love for the soul already united to Him.
Wherever you find yourself today whether you are in need of forgiveness, or in the fatigue of perseverance, or in longing for deeper union, Jesus’s Heart meets you there. There is no place so hidden, no sorrow so quiet, that He does not already dwell in it with you.
In our moments of weakness, we can say with her:
“My God, I do this or I endure that in the heart of Your Son…I offer it to You in reparation for anything blameworthy or imperfect in my actions.”
There’s such simplicity here: nothing fancy, nothing heroic on the surface. Just a quiet willingness to let our day be caught up into His.
Even suffering, injustice, or discouragement can be transformed not by our effort, but by our offering. As she counsels, “Accept this as sent to you by the Sacred Heart… to unite yourself to Him.”
Her final exhortation is gentle but clear:
“Above all, preserve peace of heart…there is nothing more useful than renouncing your own will and substituting for it the will of the Divine Heart.”
This is the kind of surrender that restores joy. It’s not passive resignation but it’s trust. A quiet yes that makes room for God to act.
A Simple Practice for Today:
When something small annoys or unsettles you today (and believe me there will be opportunity for that), pause. Place it gently in the Heart of Christ and whisper,
“Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like Yours.”
And let peace return.
It is in the Sacred Heart of Christ where we can rest, receive, and respond.
A letter by St Margaret Mary Alacoque
We must know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge
It seems to me that our Lord’s earnest desire to have his sacred heart honored in a special way is directed towards renewing the effects of redemption in our souls. For the sacred heart is an inexhaustible fountain and its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives according to his good pleasure.
From this divine heart three streams flow endlessly. The first is the stream of mercy for sinners; it pours into their hearts sentiments of contrition and repentance. The second is the stream of charity which helps all in need and especially aids those seeking perfection to find the means of surmounting their difficulties. From the third stream flow love and light for the benefit of his friends who have attained perfection; these he wishes to unite to himself so that they may share his knowledge and commandments and, in their individual ways, devote themselves wholly to advancing his glory.
This divine heart is an abyss of all blessings, and into it the poor should submerge all their needs. It is an abyss of joy in which all of us can immerse our sorrows. It is an abyss of lowliness to counteract our foolishness, an abyss of mercy for the wretched, an abyss of love to meet our every need.
Therefore, you must unite yourselves to the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, both at the beginning of your conversion in order to obtain proper dispositions, and at its end in order to make reparation. Are you making no progress in prayer? Then you need only offer God the prayers which the Savior has poured out for us in the sacrament of the altar. Offer God his fervent love in reparation for your sluggishness. In the course of every activity pray as follows: “My God, I do this or I endure that in the heart of your Son and according to his holy counsels. I offer it to you in reparation for anything blameworthy or imperfect in my actions.” Continue to do this in every circumstance of life. And every time that some punishment, affliction or injustice comes your way, say to yourself: “Accept this as sent to you by the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ in order to unite yourself to him.”
But above all preserve peace of heart. This is more valuable than any treasure. In order to preserve it there is nothing more useful than renouncing your own will and substituting for it the will of the divine heart. In this way his will can carry out for us whatever contributes to his glory, and we will be happy to be his subjects and to trust entirely in him.
© 2025, Lawain McNeil, Mission Surrender, LLC.