Just as we think of May as the month of Mary, in the same way to most of us June is the month of the Sacred Heart.

I remember, some years ago, finding myself in a bus with a nurse in charge of a small child. They were Catholics; the nurse was zealous and the small child looked decidedly angry. A discreet struggle was going on; at last a little hand was flung out, a small red badge fell to the ground, and the tiny conqueror said in a loud voice, "I don't want it." There was a low-toned explanation from the nurse, and the answer, not low at all, was, "I don't know what Sacred Heart means."

At once I found myself sympathizing with the child; it is so disagreeable to have to do a thing you do not understand. There are two ways out of the difficulty. You can, of course, refuse to do things, but that most often means some naughtiness getting mixed up with the matter; or you can try to understand, which seems to me much better.

"Do you know what Sacred Heart means?" Would you like to try to understand, for during the month of June, in the week following Corpus Christi, the Church keeps the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Have you ever had to work out a problem in arithmetic dealing with millions of florins and millions of people? Did your governess try to explain it to you ? If so, I am sure she stated it in terms of three and four pennies and a few little boys and girls. She began with something familiar to you, and before you knew what was happening I expect you saw just what that sum meant. Begin with something familiar now. Perhaps some of you have made your first Holy Communion this year, and for a long time before the priest and your mother often talked to you about getting your "heart" ready for our Lord. You understood quite well what they meant, and tried to make it very full of love—a golden throne from which the little King could rule the empire of your soul.

You have, I am sure, some special friend, and you speak to her or  him as having "the kindest heart" in the world. That is plain. Suppose you were at school a long way from home and about the middle of term someone told you quite suddenly, "Your mother has come to see you." I can imagine your saying afterwards, "My heart jumped with joy." If you are a girl and a naughty little brother jumps from behind a door as you are going upstairs in the dark, would not your " heart almost stop with fear." If a friend has not acted quite fairly to you, or you are dreading some pain, you know that "your heart feels heavy"; indeed, if God has already allowed some great trouble to come to you, did you not think at the time that your "heart would break "? There is no difficulty at all in understanding this. It is quite simple; we are accustomed to speak in this manner, because in our minds that "heart" stands for all these ideas and emotions, and we always think of it as united to some person. By this time, I am sure, some of you are saying: "Oh yes ! I begin to see what that means."

Our dear Lord is such a great subject for our little minds that we often, as it were, get hold of just one side of Him. We begin to think that He is the great God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, and in the process forget entirely that He became man.

Now, devotion to the Sacred Heart corrects this, and makes us remember that He had a human heart capable of all our emotions. It could beat quicker when He thought of His Mother; it could almost stop with fear; could be crushed by unkindness,and expand with gratitude just like yours and mine.

If we begin at the other end, and, in thinking that Jesus Christ is truly man, are in danger of forgetting His Divinity, the devotion to the Sacred Heart pulls us up with a kind of spiritual jerk, by the demand for our adoration. Of course, when we pray to the Sacred Heart all our devotion is offered to our Blessed Lord Himself, Who has taken our human nature and united it to His own Divine Person in such a wonderful way that we adore the Sacred Body as the Body of the Son of God.

Why do you genuflect each time you pass before the Blessed Sacrament ? Is it not because it is the Body of Christ ? Each part of that Body is adorable because united to the Divinity—the dear Hands that caressed the little children, and are raised over us so often in blessing and absolution; the Feet so wearied in seeking for sinners; the Face so insulted and dishonoured during the Passion: but in a special manner the Church draws our attention to the pierced Heart, for the very reasons of which we spoke above, and which makes us single out the heart to stand for so much in life. The statue of the Sacred Heart which I like best is in the church at Haverstock Hill, London.

At the end of the long altar rail is a white statue of our Blessed Lord, one hand rests upon His Heart, but the other points to the Tabernacle to remind us that there behind the tiny door is that loving Heart, not cut in stone or painted on canvas, but really living for us, waiting for our visit and longing to find a home in our heart.

Do you know who first spoke of devotion to the Sacred Heart ? If you were with me I quite expect I should hear many voices say, ''Blessed Margaret Mary," and perhaps a few, "St. Gertrude;" but I want you to look in your New Testament, St. Matthew, chapter eleven, verse twenty-nine, and you will find our dear Lord Himself saying these words: "Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of Heart." That is the real test of true devotion, you know. Do you learn the lessons it is meant to teach ? The Church, thinking of that text, has given us the beautiful invocation, "Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Thine."

Source: A Wreath of Feasts for the Little Ones, Imprimatur 1912

Below are some coloring pictures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The word Pentecost is a Greek word meaning fifty, and signifies the fiftieth day after Easter. On the fiftieth day after the Passover, God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinah. In remembrance of this, Pentecost was celebrated in the Old Law on the fiftieth day after Easter. On the fiftieth day after the resurrection of our Redeemer, the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles and enkindled in their hearts a zeal that inflamed the whole world. In commemoration of this event, Christians celebrate Pentecost on the fiftieth day after Easter.

By the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, the covenant between God and His chosen people received an actual outward sign; in like manner the covenant of the New Law received its consummation through the coming of the Holy Ghost. From that time on began its development and propagation; therefore the Feast of Pentecost is justly styled the birthday of our Holy Church.

2. The Feast of Pentecost introduced and celebrated by the Apostles was always considered one of the greatest feasts of the Ecclesiastical Year. It admonishes us to keep the Ten Commandments faithfully; for these Commandments are not to cease in the New Law, but rather to be performed in a more perfect manner. It reminds us of the descent of the Holy Ghost, in which we became partakers by the Sacrament of Confirmation. On Pentecost we should specially implore the Holy Ghost to renew in our souls the graces of this sacrament. On this day the Holy Ghost assumed supreme guidance of the Church, and became the dispenser of divine grace, therefore every faithful child should on this feast offer to God a heart overflowing with gratitude for the priceless gift of faith, as well as for the numberless graces and henefits received through the Church.

Source: The Ecclesiastical Year, Imprimatur 1903

What festival is this?
IT is the day on which the Holy Ghost descended in the form of fiery tongues, upon the apostles and disciples, who with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, were assembled in prayer in a house at Jerusalem. (Acts ii.)

Why is this day called Pentecost?
The word "Pentecost" is taken from the Greek, and signifies fifty. As St. Jerome explains it, this was the last of the fifty days, commencing with Easter, which the early Christians celebrated as days of rejoicing at the resurrection of the Lord.

Why is this day observed so solemnly?
Because on this day the Holy Ghost, having descended upon the apostles, the law of grace, of purification from sin, and the sanctification of mankind, was for the first time announced to the world; because on this day the apostles, being filled with the Holy Ghost, commenced the work of purifying and sanctifying mankind, by baptizing three thousand persons who were converted by the sermon of St. Peter; and because on this day the Church of Jesus became visible as a community to the world, and publicly professed her faith in her crucified Saviour.

Why did the Holy Ghost descend on the Jewish Pentecost?
Because on their Pentecost the Jews celebrated the anniversary of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, and God would show by sending the Holy Ghost on this day, that the Old Law had ceased and the New Law commenced. God also chose this time, that the Jews who on this day came together from all countries to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pentecost, might be witnesses of the miracle, and hear the New Law announced by the apostles.

Why is the baptismal font blessed on the vigil of Pentecost, as on Holy Saturday?
Because the Holy Ghost is the Author of all sanctity and the Fountain of baptismal grace, and because in the Acts (i. 5.) the descent of the Holy Ghost itself is called a baptism.

In the Intro it of the Mass the Church rejoices at the descent of the Holy Ghost and sings: The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole earth, alleluia and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluuia (Wisd. i. 7.) Let God arise, and his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him, fly before his face. (Ps. 67.) Glory &c.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
O God, who on this day didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit: grant us in the same spirit to relish what is right, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son in the unity of the same, &c.

LESSON (Acts 2. 1 - 11.) WHEN the days of Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place; and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, of every nation under heaven. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue: and they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans? And how have we heard every man our own tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphilia, Egypt, and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews also and Proselytes, Cretes and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

Why did the Holy Ghost come upon the apostles in the form of fiery tongues?
The appearance of fiery tongues indicated the gift of language imparted to the apostles by the Holy Ghost, and inflamed their hearts and the hearts of the faithful with the love of God and their neighbor.

Why did a mighty wind accompany the descent?
To direct thee attention of the people to the descent of the Holy Ghost, and to assemble them to hear the sermon of the Apostle Peter.

What special effects did the Holy Ghost produce in the apostles?
He freed them from all doubt and fear; gave them His light for the perfect knowledge of truth; inflamed their hearts with the most ardent love, and incited in them the fiery zeal for the propagation of the kingdom of God, strengthened them to bear all sufferings and persecutions, (Acts v 41.) and gave them the gift of speaking in various languages, and of discerning spirits.

GOSPEL (John xiv. 23 31.) AT THAT TIME, Jesus said to his disciples: If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words: and the word which you have heard is not mine, but the Father's, who sent me. These things have I spoken to you, abiding with you: but the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. You have heard that I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If you loved me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it came to pass, that when it shall come to pass you may believe. I will not now speak many things with you; for the prince of this world cometh, and in me he hath not anything. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father hath given me commandment, so do I.

Why is the Holy Ghost expressly called "Holy" since this attribute is due to each of the divine persons?
Because He is; the Author of inward sanctity and of all supernatural gifts and graces, and therefore to Him is especially ascribed the work of man's sanctification, enlightens him that he may know the truths of religion and salvation, and the beauty of virtue; He moves him to desire, to aim after and to love these things; He renews his heart by cleansing it from sin, and imparts to him the supernatural gifts and graces by which he can become sanctified, and He brings forth in him wonderful fruits of holiness.

What are the gifts of the Holy Ghost?
According to the Prophet Isaias they are seven:
1. The gift of wisdom, which enables us to know God, to esteem spiritual more than temporal advantages, and to delight only in divine things.
2. The gift of understanding, by which we know and understand that which our faith proposes to our belief; children and adults should pray fervently for this gift, especially before sermons and instructions in the catechism.
3. The gift of counsel, which gives us the knowledge necessary to direct ourselves and others when in doubt, a gift particularly necessary for superiors, for those about choosing their state of life, and for married people who live unhappily, and do not know how to help themselves.
4. The gift of fortitude, which strengthens us to endure and courageously overcome all adversities and persecutions for virtue's sake.
5. The gift of knowledge, by which we know ourselves, our duties, and how to discharge
them in a manner pleasing to God.
6. The gift of piety, which induces us to have God in view in all our actions, and infuses love in our hearts for His service.
7. The gift of the fear of the Lord, by which we not only fear the just punishment, but even His displeasure at every sin, more than all other things in the world.

Which are the fruits of the Holy Ghost?
As St. Paul (Gal. v. 22 - 23.) enumerates them, they are twelve:
1. Charity. 2. Joy. 3. Peace. 4. Patience, 5. Benignity. 6. Goodness. 7. Longanimity.
8. Mildness. 9. Faith. 10. Modesty, n. Continency. 12. Chastity,
To obtain these fruits as well as the gifts of the Holy Ghost, we should daily say the prayer: "Come, O Holy Ghost, &c."

Why does Christ say; The Father is greater than I?
Christ as God is in all things equal to His Father, but as Christ was at the same time Man; the Father was certainly greater than the Man-Christ.
 
Why does Christ say: I will not now speak many things with you?
Christ spoke these words a short time before His passion, and by them He wished to say that the time was near at hand when Satan, by his instruments, the wicked Jews, would put Him to death, not because Satan had this power , over Him, but because He Himself wished to die in obedience to the will of His Father.
                                    - Goffine's Devout Instruction, Imprimatur 1888 -

Chapter One of "Lisbeth,"  A first Communion story has been posted and you can find it here.  It is one of our favorite books.  We hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

Movies and TV have been a sore spot with me for a long time because of the demoralizing effect they have on all society, not just Catholics.  The impurity, the taking of God's holy name in vain, the vulgarity, as well as the sympathetic treatment of many, many sins are just a few of the negative reasons we choose to stay away from them. 

I was sent a link by a friend to the full text of "MOTION PICTURES Classified by National Legion of Decency FEBRUARY, 1936 — OCTOBER, 1959"  (Vatican II did away with this, I wonder why?)  If you should choose to read some of the text at the link, be sure to read the ratings before you scroll down the list, also read the objections under some of the movies; it certainly is eye opening. The movies in this list are all from 1959 and before.  If the Legion of Decency were still in existence how would the movies of today be classified?  Methinks not many of them, if any, would be classified so that they were okay to watch.  What great dangers lie in these movies for the innocent eyes of our precious children? Those little eyes that God entrusted to our care! 

The following is from the Preface:

"Convinced that there exists today no means of influencing the masses more potent than the motion picture medium, Holy Mother Church has, during the last three decades, exercised a special motherly care and watchfulness over the cinema. Ideally, as a gift from God our Creator, the motion picture should be used by men solely for the good of mankind, for "the first aim of this art should be to serve truth and virtue," to use Pius XII 's forthright statement in Miranda Prorsus.

In the same Encyclical letter the late Holy Father has specified the particular reasons which prompt a continuing interest on the part of the Church in motion pictures: "Just as very great advantages can arise from the wonderful advances which have been made in our day, in technical knowledge concerning motion pictures, radio and television, so too can very great dangers.

For these new possessions and new instruments which are within almost everyone's grasp, introduce a most powerful influence into men's minds, both because they can flood them with light, raise them to nobility, adorn them with beauty, and because they can disfigure them by dimming their luster, dishonor them by a process of corruption, and make them subject to uncontrolled passions, according as the subjects presented to the senses in these shows are praiseworthy or reprehensible.

In the past century, advancing technical skill in the field of business frequently had this result: machines, which ought to serve men, when brought into use rather reduced them to a state of slavery and caused grievous harm.

Likewise today, unless the mounting development of technical skill, applied to the diffusion of pictures, sounds and ideas is subjected to the sweet yoke of the law of Christ, it can be the source of countless evils, which appear to be all the more serious, because not only material forces but also the mind are unhappily enslaved. And man's inventions are, to that extent, deprived of those advantages which in the design of God's Providence ought to be their primary purpose. . . ."

The Church has never doubted the vast power of the cinema for good but neither is She blind to the harm which this medium can do when crass commercialism replaces principle and social responsibility. To assist Her children in the choice of that which is good in this medium of entertainment and at the same time to guard them against movies which are not worthy of the rational nature of man the Church has established National Catholic film centers throughout the world. The National Legion of Decency is such a center for the American scene. . . . . " The rest of this can be read at the following link:
http://archive.org/stream/motionpicturescl00nati/motionpicturescl00nati_djvu.txt

An example of what can happen when children are allowed to watch what they please. 

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/911-call-released-waukesha-slender-man-stabbings-n122291

Starting on Thursday we will be sharing a new book, "Lisbeth" by Mary T. Waggaman.  We will share a different chapter twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays.  The story is about a First Communion.  Mary Waggaman was a Catholic author of mostly children's books.  We love her writing and want to share it with you.  So look forward to Chapter One on Thursday.