calendar showing Friday and SaturdayDid you practice either the First Friday or the First Saturday devotions? My mother told me about them—or was it the nuns at St. Peter in Chains Grade School. I don’t know if I actually completed one before I was twenty but I know I tried.
As I remember them, the First Friday devotion was started in 1750 by St. Margaret Mary who had a vision with the following message: honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus by going to confession and receiving communion on the First Friday of the month for nine consecutive months and you’ll receive the twelve promises of the Sacred Heart. The First Saturdays were a Marian devotion honoring the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It required confession, Mass, communion, and a rosary but for only 5 months. I didn’t know until I was an adult that it fought the five blasphemies against Mary: not believing in her Immaculate Conception, her perpetual virginity, her divine and spiritual maternity, dishonoring her images, and/or neglecting to give children knowledge and love of Jesus’ mother.
I’m thinking of the “Firsts” because it’s summer. Growing up I had a summertime friend who lived in Indiana but visited her aunt in Ohio June through August. Her aunt–as staunch a Baptist as my mother was a Catholic–was furious when I told my friend about the “Firsts” devotions. “For one thing, God doesn’t appear to people,” she said, “and for another thing you don’t need to do anything for five months or nine to get God’s grace.” I was embarrassed because she thought my mom and my religion were stupid.
As an adult I came to understand–with a caveat–the woman’s point-of-view. I, too, think God will bless us for how much we love Him and love others and not because we fulfilled some formula of prayers and communion. Sometimes–many times–that’s harder than it seems, especially the loving thy neighbor (who doesn’t like you or your religion) part. But as it is in most cases, the “Firsts” aren’t about God. They’re about us. And they speak directly to the question: do we need confession/penance or is repenting in our hearts enough because Jesus already paid the price for our sins?
I believe Jesus died to save me from death (huge!)—but not to save me from discipline, penance, and good works. I think His suffering, death, and resurrection opened the gates of heaven to me, but it is totally up to me to walk through. I believe He forgives me as soon as I feel sorrow in my heart, but that I’m not necessarily a shoo-in for heaven because I was born again in the Sacrament of Baptism or in Baptism by Immersion. I think penance and good works are more than options; I think they are essential for strengthening me against evil so I can complete my race to heaven.

That’s why I like the “Firsts”. Not because of the spiritual promises (but hey, those are nice) but because they require discipline on my part. They require effort and action to take time on a consistent schedule to be with God. Yes, I do that on Sunday morning, but that’s about group worship. Yes, I set aside a time each month or week or day to read the Bible, but I do that all year. I like these devotions (and I’m being honest here; I haven’t made many of them) because they are another layer of my relationship with God, another example of the fullness of the Catholic Church. They’re like a couple who change up their weekly date night from dinner and a movie to a nine-week yoga class. They may never try it again, but they’ll see each other in a new way and grow closer because of the experience. And that’s exactly what I want with God.

Writer and speaker for children and adults with current focus on Catholic fiction for adults. Fish Sticks--Catholic blog of Victoria Ryan: Significance of Catholic Baby Boomer Experience posts a new essay each Friday (like fish sticks in Lent).