THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
The image of God’s love revealed in the Sacred Heart of Jesus is foundational to the Association of Consecrated Companies
WHY CONSECRATION TO/THROUGH THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS?
The Holy Spirit has inspired many authentic charisms, spiritualities, and devotions throughout the centuries. If they are authentic, they testify to a dimension of the Mystery of Jesus Christ. Many can be seen as divine responses to historical realities and situations. For example, Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity seek to be poor like Christ and to serve the poorest of the poor. The Holy Spirit moved her to respond to the needs of the destitute and dying on the streets of Calcutta.
So, why should business owners consecrate themselves to/through the Sacred Heart of Jesus?
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus developed especially as a response to the heresy of Jansenism in the 17th century. The heresy overemphasized the corruption and sin of humanity. It also overemphasized the power of God’s grace, negating our freedom and collaboration with God’s grace. According to this heresy, God’s grace was thought to be irresistible, and ultimately, it was God who determined who was saved and who was condemned. This was a pessimistic view of the human person and an almost tyrannical view of God. In our day, in the 21st century, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. The modern heresy proclaims falsely that everyone is saved by God no matter what they do!
Just as the devotion to the Sacred Heart was a corrective to Jansenism in the 17th century, it is also a corrective to some of the errors of our own day. The Sacred Heart of Jesus proclaims that God cares for each one of us and is able to transform our hearts. God’s grace is not only powerful but also capable of healing our hearts and elevating us to share in divine life. But God does not take away our freedom. In fact, there is no love without freedom. You cannot force someone to love you. God loves us freely, and we are called to love God freely in return. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus teaches us that we need to collaborate with God’s grace and merciful love. What I do or do not do matters. God is not indifferent to my response to his love.
When we contemplate the Sacred Heart, we are not just contemplating the love of God Incarnate in Jesus. We are contemplating a merciful heart on fire with love for humanity and each human being. The Person of Jesus Christ mysteriously unites the human and divine. As humans, we are called to participate in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). As consecrated business owner, you and your business are called to be radically transformed by God’s love. You are personally invited to be part of this divine transformation, to be valued and significant in God’s plan.
The mystery of this transformation is powerfully contained in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In fact, Jesus made several promises to those who honor his Sacred Heart. Here are the first eight. He will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life. He will establish peace in their families. He will comfort them in their trials. He will be their secure refuge. He will shed abundant blessings on all their undertakings. His heart will be an infinite ocean of mercy. Lukewarm souls will become fervent. Fervent souls will rapidly grow in holiness and perfection.
Rooted in the profound symbolism of the Sacred Heart, we embrace Jesus’ revelation that through his incarnation, grace working through our humanity can bring about personal transformation.
Pius XII’s emphasis in his 1956 encyclical “Haurietis Aquas”, On Devotion to the Sacred Heart, underscored the transformative power of love. When under the influence of the Supreme Being, love unites minds with the divine will, recreating and conforming hearts to God. This doctrine affirms the universality of God’s love and aligns perfectly with our goal to infuse businesses with purpose, moral responsibility, and commitment to the common good.
How can God’s love transform the corporate realm? Based on the theological foundation provided by St. Thomas Aquinas, we believe that when God’s love is infused into the corporate realm, it can effect transformative change. It fosters a business environment that is compassionate and just. We aim to achieve this impact with our association of consecrated business owners.
CONSECRATING BUSINESSES TO THE SACRED HEART IS OUR WAY OF INSPIRING A PROFOUND SENSE OF PURPOSE, CONTRIBUTING TO A WORLD WHERE BUSINESSES ACTIVELY PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD AND CREATE ETERNAL VALUE.
PREPARATION FOR THE CONSECRATION
After business owners register for a His Way At Work-partnered Consecration Mass, they will view an 8-part online preparation course written and narrated by Fr. John Bartunek, LC. Business owners will prayerfully reflect on their upcoming commitment and are encouraged to access the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
PREVIEW THE 8-PART VIDEO COURSE FOR FREE!
THE CONSECRATION MASS
The liturgy for the Consecration Mass has been written exclusively for His Way At Work and approved by the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s Office of Divine Worship. This liturgy is a solemn occasion where business owners invite God into the center of their business and pledge to provide compassion and care to all they serve. This important commitment is made in the presence of their family and friends. As a reminder of their pledge, business owners will receive a membership pin and a wallet-sized commitment card.
THE CERTIFICATE OF CONSECRATION
After attending the Mass, business owners are invited to join the Association of Consecrated Companies. The association will send them a Certificate of Consecration and a custom holder with an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to be displayed in their home or office. By displaying this image, business owners will receive 12 promises from Christ.
WATCH OUR PREPARATION SERIES
Experience our 8-part video series that prepares business owners for consecrating their business to God, hosted by Fr. John Bartunek, LC.