A LITTLE KNOWN DEVOTEE OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
St. Lutgarde was born in the 12th century and interestingly, did not have the pious start in life you often hear about with saints. In fact, the only reason she entered the Benedictine monastery was to avoid embarrassment when her dowry was accidentally squandered in a failed business deal. This left her ineligible for a proper marriage. To hide from the situation, she fled to the convent, which was considered a “dignified alternative.”
After living in the monastery for some time without any piety, she eventually began receiving visions of Jesus. At one point, Our Lord said He would grant her whatever she requested of Him and she asked for a better understanding of Latin. But later, she boldly asked Jesus for a different gift instead: His heart.
In a surprising turn of events from her start in life … St. Lutgarde became the first-known woman ever to receive the stigmata and was one of the very first promoters of devotion to the Sacred Heart.
She was even known to miraculously levitate, to fast heroically, and to speak with saints and souls in purgatory. Her story encourages the most lukewarm believer to take heart.
With her extraordinary experiences and forthright tenacity, St. Lutgarde is a powerhouse saint to lead us to Jesus and guide us to our longed-for destination: heaven. Here are some life lessons from the wise words of St. Lutgarde that will help make us holier:
St. Lutgarde asked, “Why did You give me such a grace, Lord? Now I hardly have any time to be alone with You! Take it away, please,” and she added, “only give me another grace, give me something better!'”
Jesus had lovingly offered to send St. Lutgarde any grace she requested. And St. Lutgarde had asked for an in-depth understanding of Latin so she could more thoroughly understand the inspiringly beautiful Latin music she sang each day.
Then God gave her the grace of healing even little sicknesses with merely the touch of her hand. Soon, she became inundated with visitors and she noticed it began to take her and the other nuns from time spent in prayer.
This is when she boldly asked Jesus to take away the previous graces and give her something better!
What an unexpected and powerful reminder that time to be alone with Jesus is something we should be willing to pray for and ultimately make time for, even if it means letting go of other good things in order to pursue that greatest good. The other good things will follow in God’s time and will.
Her feast day is June 16. And this coincides with the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus this year 2023 which is the Friday after the Second Sunday of Pentecost.
Why not ask for the special intercession of this saint of the Sacred Heart on the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Source: Aleteia
