Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in Your Home

June is the month the Church dedicates to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Shortly after Prodigal Daughter and I reverted to the Church, our pastor asked if we wanted an "enthronement" performed in our house. We both said "Sure, Father sounds great! What the heck is an enthronement? He explained that it is a way that a Christian family dedicates their house to Jesus and states in an external way that Christ has sovereign rights over the household. The practice of enthronement is a real physical way of saying that Christ is truly the real head of the home. As an evangelical, whenever we moved into a new home, we asked our pastor to come over and pray a blessing over the home. This is not much different from an enthronement and the practice of asking a blessing over a new home may have its roots in the enthronement described here.

The enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a household finds its origin in the promise Our Lord Jesus made to St. Mary Margaret Alacoque in one of her visions. He told her: "I will bless every house in which an image of my heart shall be exposed and honored." The family obtains a picture or image of the Sacred Heart and it is displayed prominently in the home. The pastor/priest comes over and prays a prayer and act of consecration in which the entire family is consecrated to Jesus and he then blesses the picture and the family. As we pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we are praying to Jesus, but focusing on his love inflamed for us and His heart pierced for our sins. We are not praying to a picture, or inanimate object. The image provides a focus for us but it would be breaking a commandment to actually pray to an inanimate object! Catholics worship God alone, not statues, images, icons etc.

Here is the Prayer of Consecration:

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, who did make known to St. Margaret Mary Your ardent desire to reign over Christian families, behold us assembled here today to proclaim Your absolute dominion over our home.

Henceforth we purpose to lead a life like Yours so that among us may flourish the virtues for which You did promise peace on earth, and for this end we will banish from our midst the spirit of the world which You abhor so much.

You will reign over our understanding by the simplicity of our faith. You will reign over our hearts by an ardent love for You; and may the flame of this love be ever kept burning in our hearts by the frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist.

Deign, O Divine Heart, to preside over our meetings, to bless our undertakings, both spiritual and temporal, to banish all worry and care, to sanctify our joys and soothe our sorrows. If any of us should ever have the misfortune to grieve Your Sacred Heart, remind him of Your goodness and mercy toward the repentant sinner.

Lastly, when the hour of separation will sound and death will plunge our home into mourning, then shall we all and every one of us be resigned to Your eternal decrees, and seek consolation in the thought that we shall all one day be reunited in heaven, where we shall sing the praises and blessings of Your Sacred Heart for all eternity.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the glorious Patriarch St. Joseph offer You this our Consecration and remind us of the same all the days of our life.

Glory to the Divine Heart of Jesus, our King and our Father!

So each morning, as I come down the stairs, I see the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the wall and it reminds me who I serve and who my family is dedicated to. No superstition, no amulet- just an awesome devotional to Jesus backed by the authority of His Church. Oh yeah, we also have a little statue of the Mother of God to remind me to fulfill the Scripture that "all generations shall call me (Mary) blessed." Thanks Mary for saying yes to God! Blessed are you amongst all women.

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(H/T to Fr. McNally)