Immaculate Heart of Mary - a photo on Flickriver

"According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Every offense committed against justice and truth entails the duty of reparation, even if its author has been forgiven…This duty of reparation also concerns offenses against another’s reputation” (n. 2487). By offering our sacrifices to God we can make reparation for sin. When we are forgiven, we must still repair the damage that results from our sins. In addition, when we offer our sacrifices to God in reparation for the sins of others, our supplications become more efficacious for the conversion of sinners. In other words, as we increase our love for others through reparation, our prayer becomes more powerful in obtaining the graces of salvation for them. Reparation for the sins of others can be offered as an act of love, and yet also as an act restoring justice between God and others, it repairs the damage of sin. There are other closely related words for reparation such as atonement, expiation, propitiation, penance, restitution, amends, and satisfaction.

Our Lord Jesus Christ alone could pay an infinite price for our sins on the Cross. Yet since Our Lord suffered and died because of our sins (See Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 598), reparation (satisfaction) to God for those sins is required on our part (See Mt. 12:58-59, Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1459). Still, the suffering of Our Lord meant that Our Lady would also suffer and be offended in her Immaculate Heart, because of our sins, while fulfilling her maternal role as Coredemptrix, Mediatrix of all graces, and Advocate. This injustice to the innocent Mother of God by our sins requires reparation. As St. Albert the Great, Doctor of the Church, said, “as we are under great obligation to Jesus for His Passion endured for our love, so we are under great obligation to Mary for what she suffered by compassion for our salvation in the death of her Son” (Sup. Miss. q. cl. Resp. ad q. cxlviii). Mary’s Heart continues to be offended, and this requires reparation also. Reparation is an essential part of devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We cannot say we love our neighbors if we are unwilling to make amends for our offenses against them. Among our neighbors, after Jesus, we are most indebted to our Blessed Mother.

The Child Jesus said, “have compassion on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother covered with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation” (December 10, 1925). Another word for “compassion,” is the word mercy. In fact, the practice of mercy begins with having mercy on the Sacred Heart of Jesus who beheld our every act during His Passion and is in need of being consoled. Jesus fervently seeks that we have mercy on the Heart of His Mother. So, have mercy on the Heart of your Mother. Having mercy on the Heart of our Mother is another excellent way of having mercy on the Heart of Jesus."
- from communalfirstsaturdays.org/

This statue of the Immaculate Heart is in St Casimir's church, Baltimore MD. Today, 1 Feb, is the first Saturday of the month.

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Taken on: February 1, 2025

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