Consecration and Penance

A few years ago I was in the Adoration Chapel at our old church. My hour was from midnight to 1 AM, and I treasured that hour. On the bookshelf was a little basket where people left things like rosaries, medals, prayer cards and prayer books, free for the taking. That night there was an old silver Sacred Heart medal in the basket, worn smooth from years of wear. It immediately touched my heart and I took it home with me and put it on a chain with my little silver crucifix.

Sometime last fall I came across the prayer of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the time I remember thinking it was a very serious prayer, and that one shouldn't pray it unless she was really ready for what was to come and committed to the promises it made. I read it through and thought about it. Overwhelmed with the desire to be as close as I can possibly be to Christ, I prayed the prayer sincerely.

An Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, my person and my life, my actions, pains and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being other than to honor, love and glorify the Sacred Heart. This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him.

I therefore take You, O Sacred heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life and my sure refuge at the hour of death.

Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God the Father, and turn away from me the strokes of his righteous anger. O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in You, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty.

Remove from me all that can displease You or resist Your holy will; let your pure love imprint Your image so deeply upon my heart, that I shall never be able to forget You or to be separated from You.

May I obtain from all Your loving kindness the grace of having my name written in Your Heart, for in You I desire to place all my happiness and glory, living and dying in bondage to You.

Amen.

Months later I remember praying that prayer, and I see that He has given me a gift, an opportunity to show Him that I meant what I said to Him, a way to expiate my sins which He has forgiven, but for which I have not made amends. This cancer is bringing me closer and closer to Jesus as I unite my life, actions, pain and suffering with His passion. People think that I am doing so well, enduring the chemo and after effects, but it is because He is with me, helping me to carry my cross, that makes it easier. Not a day goes by that I am not so thankful for my Catholic faith.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1459 Many sins wrong our neighbor. One must do what is possible in order to repair the harm (e.g., return stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered, pay compensation for injuries). Simple justice requires as much. But sin also injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationships with God and neighbor. Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the the sin: he must "make satisfaction for" or "expiate" his sins. This satisfaction is also called "penance."

1460 The penance the confessor imposes must take into account the penitent's personal situation and must seek his spiritual good. It must correspond as far as possible with the gravity and nature of the sins committed. It can consist of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we must bear. Such penances help configure us to Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all. They allow us to become co-heirs with the risen Christ, "provided we suffer with him."