It would be fair to say that the young Mlle. Margaret Mary Alacoque was probably not the easiest person to live with. As an 11 year old she contracted rheumatic fever and spent the next four years in bed. Four years!!! That meant that her mum and her family would have had to wait on her and serve her. That meant that she was unable to help with the many chores of a non-appliance period of time. It would probably have got quite wearisome.
However, God’s ways are definitely not ours, and Jesus proceeded to make himself known to her in visions. Margaret Mary made a vow to consecrate herself to Him in religious life. Whereupon, she immediately got better!
Things are rarely straightforward, and after a sufficient period of recovery, her mother made known that she wanted Margaret Mary to be married. One wonders whether Mme. Alacoque was rather tired of serving her and perhaps thought that marriage might sort her out!
Margaret Mary started fancying that she might like to be married and partook of parties and fancy dresses and carnival balls. One evening after one such event, Jesus appeared to her in a vision, scourged and bloodied. Margaret Mary was reminded of her love of Jesus, and immediately entered the Visitation Convent.
Again she made a nuisance of herself; because, she kept receiving visions of Jesus asking her to remind people about His Sacred Heart. He revealed His very heart to her saying,
“Here is the Heart that has loved the world, and has received so little love in return.”
He instructed her in the devotional activities and gave promises to those who would honour and love His Sacred Heart and make reparation for the sin of ingratitude.
The poor love, when she told her Superior that she was receiving these visions, her Superior, thinking she was attention seeking no doubt, forbad her from her devotions. Whereupon, Margaret Mary got sick again! The Superior, in a fit of humility, asked the Lord to guide her discernment and to allow that the annoying lass might be speaking the truth. Lo! And behold, Margaret immediately recovered and the revelations of the Sacred Heart were given to her community, and thence to the other Convents of the Visitation and throughout France.
Her confessor happened to be the holy, level headed chap, St Claude de la Colombiere, who was able to detect the truth in Margaret Mary’s assertions, and so we must be grateful to his sobriety and trust in the crazy ways of the Lord.
Today, in Paray le Monial, France, one can go to the very Chapel where Jesus appeared to St Margaret Mary. It is a place dear to the hearts of the members of the Emmanuel Community, who try to carry on the work of the saint in consecrating ourselves to Jesus’ Sacred Heart and to be His heart in the world.
Saints like St Margaret Mary are good reminders that the way of the saint can be really rather tiresome with ill health, unbelieving friends, and high expectations. Jesus asked her to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart, and yet, she was stuck in an enclosed life. She is a reminder to me, that when the Lord wants to act, he only needs my “Yes” and he will do the rest.
To celebrate the feast of St Margaret Mary Alacoque, this fabulous book suggests that we partake of a splendidly named drink called, Heart Warmer No.1 (yes, there are various heart warmers!)
½ oz. Vanilla liqueur
½ oz. Peppermint white liqueur
½ oz. Amareto
6 0z. freshly brewed hot coffee
Pop all the ingredients into an Irish coffee cup, stir, swill, swish and toss it down to kick start your devotion!
~ Sarah McDonald
Sarah is married to James. They are blessed with four children, whom Sarah has homeschooled for the past ten years. Sarah gained a degree in Education, had a cerebral hemorrhage and returned to study Chinese Medicine and shiatsu therapy. By her account, she wasted her 20s gallivanting around the world before experiencing a conversion in Paris at the 1997 World Youth Day.
Sarah worked for a time for the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne in their Vocations office, and met and married James. An unexpected move to Sydney kicked off a career as a homeschooler. Her particular educational interests are proper grammar and the transmission of a lively Catholic faith. She & James have been members of the Emmanuel Community for 20 years
I really enjoyed reading this piece! I think it captures the essence of the story of St. Margaret Mary so succinctly and with great heart and charm; why not celebrate with a tempting tipple such as the one you recommend?! Now, if only I had those ingredients to hand ;-). A very happy feast day to all!