Inseparable Hearts

My friend, George Zagel, paints "pinstripe" on bottles,
 and he surprised me with the gift of this Immaculate Heart of Mary bottle

 

I like this effect with the rays of sunlight shining around it.
It makes me think of the rays of His love surrounding her heart.

Exchange of Hearts by Christi Jentz, Lumen Christi Art, details here.  A must read!

Inseparable Hearts

It was her "yes" that allowed

His tender heart

to grow within her

bearing the marks of her love-

the gift of a mother to her child.

While presenting 

her Son to the Lord

the old man eerily pointed toward

her bosom and spoke the words

that would forever haunt her thoughts-

"a sword shall pierce your very heart."

Her Immaculate Heart 

beat within His Sacred Heart

always, always.

They were inseparable.

And that day, that dark, black day

she stood there, 

stood with her grief, her sorrow, her pain

and helplessly watched as His Heart broke

from so much love freely given,

her own heart breaking, too.

When His Heart beat no more,

the sword came, and pierced it through,

with the blood and water of our salvation

spilling upon the ground.

She, too, felt the stabbing wound,

and once again she heard those eerie words

echoing within her soul-

"a sword shall pierce your very heart"

Her Immaculate Heart

beat within His Sacred Heart

always, always.

They were inseparable.

Today begins the Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in anticipation of Pope Francis' Consecration of the World to Her Immaculate Heart on Sunday, October 13th.  You can have the novena prayers emailed to you by visiting Pray More Novenas blog and signing up.  The novena prayer includes the following Act of Consecration by Pope Pius XII which very fittingly unites the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Act of Consecration by Pope Pius XII

Most Holy Virgin Mary, tender Mother of men, to fulfill the desires of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the request of the Vicar of Your Son on earth, we consecrate ourselves and our families to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and we recommend to You, all the people of our country and all the world.

Please accept our consecration, dearest Mother, and use us as You wish to accomplish Your designs in the world.

O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and Queen of the World, rule over us, together with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, Our King. Save us from the spreading flood of modern paganism; kindle in our hearts and homes the love of purity, the practice of a virtuous life, an ardent zeal for souls, and a desire to pray the Rosary more faithfully.

We come with confidence to You, O Throne of Grace and Mother of Fair Love. Inflame us with the same Divine Fire which has inflamed Your own Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Make our hearts and homes Your shrine, and through us, make the Heart of Jesus, together with your rule, triumph in every heart and home.

Amen.

This post is part of a First Friday link-up at O Most Sacred Heart blog.  

Visit here for more posts on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and feel free to add your own.

If you are in the Milwaukee area, join Roses for Our Lady at our monthly holy hour for vocations on Sunday, October 13th at 2 PM at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary.  Fr. Jim Kubicki, SJ, will join us and will lead us in a Consecration to Jesus through Mary in union with Pope Francis as he consecrates the world to her Immaculate Heart.