Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a very, very old practice originally arising out of devotion to the Sacred wounds of Christ and all that His sacrifice for us embodied. It is a beautiful practice with which you can get closer to Jesus in contemplation of the Passion and His most perfect sacrifice. In 1899, the human race was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Pope Leo XIII’s decree in his encyclical Annum Sacrum. Pope Pius X extended this by instituting this dedication be renewed yearly.
The Feast Day for the Sacred Heart of Jesus falls 19 days after Pentecost. This year 2019, it will fall on June 28TH. The devotion is often tied to the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which occurs a day after.
The month of June is dedicated to The Sacred Heart of Jesus. The beginning of the month falls within the liturgical season of Easter, which is represented by the liturgical color white — the color of light, a symbol of joy, purity and innocence (absolute or restored). The remainder of the month falls within the liturgical season of Ordinary Time, which is represented by the liturgical color green. This symbol of hope is the colour of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. It is used in the offices and Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward.
The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost. In addition to the liturgical celebration, many devotional exercises are connected with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Of all devotions, devotion to the Sacred Heart was, and remains, one of the most widespread and popular in the Church.
Understood in the light of the Scriptures, the term “Sacred Heart of Jesus” denotes the entire mystery of Christ, the totality of his being, and his person considered in its most intimate essential: Son of God, uncreated wisdom; infinite charity, principal of the salvation and sanctification of mankind. The “Sacred Heart” is Christ, the Word Incarnate, Saviour, intrinsically containing, in the Spirit, an infinite divine-human love for the Father and for his brothers.
Excerpted from the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy