As we prepare for the Feast of St. Jane de Chantal Monday, August 12, we continue to marvel at the prophetic stance of her heart and that of her co-founder St Francis de Sales, towards the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 60 years before the revelations to Visitandine St. Margaret Mary.
“This is the meditation that St. Chantal herself copied from several little collections found written by the holy hand of our blessed Father, and which she recommended to her daughters. Again I ask, is this a prophecy? Is it mere chance? It is entitled ” Eighth Meditation: Of the Love that Jesus Christ Bears us.“
After having made her dear daughters consider the love that Jesus Christ bore them, first, in the mystery of the Incarnation; second, in that of the Eucharist; third,in that of the Dolorous Passion, she comes to a fourth consideration, altogether unique when we reflect upon the date at which she wrote:
“ Consideration IV.
” Consider that the sweet Savior not only showed His love for us, as well as for all other Christians, by the work of our redemption; but that He obliges us especially, as daughters of the Visitation, by the gift and favor that He has made to our Order and to each of us in particular of His Heart, or rather of the virtues it contains, since He has founded our most lovely Institute on these two precepts: Learn of Me that I am meek and humble of heart. This is the portion of His treasures that has fallen to us. Having given to other Orders, to one eminent prayer, to another solitude, to another austerity, He bequeathed to us what, undoubtedly, He esteemed more dear, since His precious Heart is its depository. Ah, could we but have this satisfaction, could we learn and practice well the lesson that this loving Savior gives us, we should then be honored in bearing the title of ‘Daughters of the Heart of Jesus? ‘
Mother de Chantal then concludes with this cry of gratitude and thanksgiving:
” It is very sweet, O my soul, that this gracious Jesus has chosen us to make us the daughters of His Heart.Why, O my Savior, hast Thou not so favored others in Thy Church ? What have we done for Thy Goodness to have from all eternity destined for us this treasure in these last ages of the world”
Source: The Life of St Margaret Mary, byBishop Emile Bougard