Quote of the Day – 12 June – The Memorial of Blessed Maria Candida of the Eucharist (1884-1949) (celebrated by the Carmelite Order today)
“I want to be like Mary, to be Mary for Jesus,
to take the place of His Mother.
When I receive Jesus in Communion,
Mary is always present.
I want to receive Jesus from her hands,
she must make me one with Him.
I cannot separate Mary from Jesus.
Hail, O Body born of Mary.
Hail Mary, dawn of the Eucharist!”
Sunday Reflection – 10 June -Tenth Sunday of the Year B
“The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass gives boundless honour to the Most Blessed Trinity because it represents the passion of Jesus Christ and because, through the Mass, we offer God the merits of Our Lord’s obedience, of His sufferings and of His Precious Blood. The whole of the heavenly court also receives an accidental joy from the Mass.
Several doctors of the Church—together with St Thomas Aquinas—tell us that, for the same reason, all the blessed in Heaven rejoice in the communion of the faithful because the Blessed Sacrament, is a memorial of the passion and death of Jesus Chris and that by means of it, men share in its fruits and work out their salvation”
“Adore and praise the immense love Jesus has for you in this Sacrament of Himself.
In order not to leave you a lonely orphan in this land of exile and misery, He comes from heaven for you personally, to offer you companionship and consolation.
Thank Him, therefore, with all your love and all your strength;
thank Him in union with all the saints!”…Fr Vincent M Lucia “Come to me”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 June – Thursday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time, Year B and the Memorial of Venerable Matt Talbot (1856 – 1925)
“How can anyone be lonely,
with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament?”
“O Virgin I ask three things from you:
the grace of God,
the presence of God,
the blessing of God”
“O blessed Mother,
obtain for me from Jesus,
that I may participate in His folly.”
Thought for the Day – 4 June – Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B and the Memorial of St Filippo Smaldone (1848-1923) – Apostle of Eucharistic Adoration and of Charity
“St Filippo Smaldone, son of South Italy, knew how to instil in his life the higher virtues characteristic of his land.
A priest with a great heart nourished continuously on prayer and Eucharistic Adoration, he was above all, a witness and servant of charity, which he manifested in an eminent way through service to the poor, in particular to deaf-mutes, to whom he dedicated himself entirely.
The work that he began developed thanks to the Congregation of the Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Hearts, founded by him and which spread to various parts of Italy and the world.
St Filippo Smaldone saw the image of God reflected in deaf-mutes and he used to repeat that, just as we prostrate before the Blessed Sacrament, so we should kneel before a deaf-mute.
From his example we welcome the invitation to consider the ever indivisible love for the Eucharist and love for one’s neighbour. But the true capacity to love the brethren, can come only, from meeting with the Lord in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.”
Pope Benedict XVI on the Canonisation of St Filippo Smaldone, St Peter’s Square, Sunday, 15 October 2006
Quote of the Day – 3 June 2018 – The Solemnity of Corpus Christi
“(Mary) is a young maiden but she is not afraid
because God is with her, within her,…
In a certain sense, we can say that her trip was …..
the first Eucharistic procession in history.
Is not this also the joy of the Church,
which receives Christ incessantly in the holy Eucharist
and takes Him to the world with the testimony
of active charity, full of faith and hope?
“Yes, to receive Jesus and to take Him to others
is the true joy of the Christian!
Let us follow and imitate Mary,
the profoundly Eucharistic soul
and our whole life will become a Magnificat.”
One Minute Reflection – 3 June 2018 – The Solemnity of Corpus Christi Year B
And as they were eating, he took bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of thec covenant, which is poured out for many...Mark 14:22-24
REFLECTION – “Since we are talking about the Body, know that we, as many of us as partake of the Body, as many as partake of that Blood, we partake of something which is in no way different or separate from that which is enthroned on high, which is adored by the angels, which is next to Uncorrupt Power.”…St John Chrysostom (347-407) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – Lord Jesus Christ, You gave Your Church, an admirable Sacrament as the abiding memorial of Your Passion. Teach us to worship the sacred mystery of Your Body and Blood, that it’s redeeming power may sanctify us always. Who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, forever, amen.
The Solemnity of The Body and Blood of Christ “Corpus Christi” – 3 June
Happy Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, our Lord and God! What a Gift we celebrate today!
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the whole Christian life. The feast of Corpus Christi is a celebration of Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist. It parallels the celebration on Holy Thursday in commemoration of the institution of this Aacrament. When the Eucharist is carried through the streets in solemn procession, the Christian people give public witness of their faith and devotion toward the Sacrament of the Eucharist
In 1246, Bishop Robert de Thorete of the Belgian diocese of Liège, at the suggestion of St Juliana of Mont Cornillon (also in Belgium), convened a synod and instituted the celebration of the feast.
From Liège, the celebration began to spread and, on 8 September 1264, Pope Urban IV issued the papal bull “Transiturus,” which established the Feast of Corpus Christi as a universal feast of the Church, to be celebrated on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday.
At the request of Pope Urban IV, St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), Doctor of the Church, composed the office, the official prayers of the Churc, for the feast. This office is widely considered one of the most beautiful in the traditional Roman Breviary and it is the source of the famous Eucharistic hymns Pange Lingua Gloriosi and Tantum Ergo Sacramentum.
The feast is also celebrated with a Eucharistic procession, in which the Sacred Host is carried throughout the town, accompanied by hymns and litanies. There the Eucharistic Lord, held in the monstrance by the priest, is escorted by candles, canopies, incense, choirs, altar servers, and worshipers. The faithful venerate the Body of Christ as the procession passed by, with Benediction celebrated along the way.
The feast of Corpus Christi is one time when our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is exposed not just to faithful Catholics but to all the world. This is a time when Catholics can show their love for Christ in the Real Presence by honouring Him in a very public way. It is also a wonderful way in which we can show our love for our neighbors by bringing Our Lord and Savior closer to them. So many conversions are a result of Eucharistic Adoration experienced from inside the Church. How many more there would be if we could reach those who only drive by the church in worldly pursuits.
“Corpus Christi reminds us first of all of this:, that being Christian means coming together from all parts of the world to be in the presence of the one Lord and to become one with him and in him.
The second constitutive aspect, is walking with the Lord. ,This is the reality manifested by the procession that we shall experience together after Holy Mass, almost as if it were naturally prolonged by moving behind the One who is the Way, the Journey. With the gift of Himself in the Eucharist, the Lord Jesus sets us free from our “paralyses”, He helps us up and enables us to “proceed “, that is, He makes us take a step ahead and then another step and thus sets us going with the power of the Bread of Life.”Pope Benedict XVI, Corpus Christ 2008
Throughout our lives, if we were raised Catholic, we were taught reverence for the Eucharist. But “reverence” is not enough. Most Catholics reverence the Eucharist, meaning, we genuflect, kneel and treat the Sacred Host with respect. But it’s important to ponder a question in your heart. Do you believe the Eucharist is God Almighty, the Saviour of the world, the second Person of the Most Holy Trinity? Do you believe deeply enough to have your heart moved with love and profound devotion every time you are before our divine Lord present before us under the veil of the Eucharist? When you kneel do you fall down prostrate in your heart, loving God with your whole being?
Perhaps this sounds like it’s a bit excessive. Perhaps simple reverence and respect is enough for you. But it’s not. Since the Eucharist is God Almighty, we must see Him there with the eyes of faith in our soul. We must profoundly adore Him as the angels do in Heaven. We must cry out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.” We must be moved to the deepest of worship as we enter into His divine presence.
Ponder the depth of your faith in the Eucharist today and strive to renew it, worshiping God as one who believes with your whole being.
I devoutly adore You, O hidden Deity, truly hidden beneath these appearances. My whole heart submits to You and in contemplating You, it surrenders itself completely. Sight, touch, taste are all deceived in their judgement of You but hearing suffices firmly to believe. Jesus, I trust in You.
The Solemnity of Corpus Christi (2018)
Be abundantly blessed today, 3 June 2018, on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ aka Corpus Christi! The Source and the Summit of our faith.
Martyrs of Uganda (Memorial) – 22 saints: Twenty-two (22) Ugandan converts martyred in the persecutions of King Mwanga. They are –
• Achileo Kiwanuka • Adolofu Mukasa Ludigo
• Ambrosio Kibuuka • Anatoli Kiriggwajjo
• Anderea Kaggwa • Antanansio Bazzekuketta
• Bruno Sserunkuuma • Charles Lwanga
• Denis Ssebuggwawo • Gonzaga Gonza
• Gyavire • James Buzabaliao
• John Maria Muzeyi • Joseph Mukasa
• Kizito • Lukka Baanabakintu
• Matiya Mulumba • Mbaga Tuzinde
• Mugagga • Mukasa Kiriwawanvu
• Nowa Mawaggali • Ponsiano Ngondwe
They were canonised on 18 October 1964 by Pope Paul VI at Rome, Italy.
—
Bl Adam of Guglionesi
Albert of Como
Athanasius of Traiannos
Auditus of Braga
Bl Beatrice Bicchieri
Caecilius of Carthage
St Charles Lwanga & Companions
Bl Charles-René Collas du Bignon
Clotilde of France
Conus of Lucania
Cronan the Tanner
Davinus of Lucca
Bl Diego Oddi
Bl Francis Ingleby
Gausmarus of Savigny
Genesius of Clermont
Glunshallaich
Hilary of Carcassone
Isaac of Córdoba
John Grande
Kevin of Glendalough
Laurentinus of Arezzo
Liphardus of Orléans
Morand of Cluny
Moses of Arabia
Oliva of Anagni
Paula of Nicomedia
Pergentinus of Arezzo
Phaolô Vu Van Duong
Urbicius
—
Dominicans Martyred in China
Martyrs of Africa – 156 saints: 156 Christians martyred together in Africa, date unknown; the only other information to survive are some of their names –
• Abidianus
• Demetria
• Donatus
• Gagus
• Januaria
• Juliana
• Nepor
• Papocinicus
• Quirinus
• Quirus
Martyrs of Byzantium – 5 saints: A group of Christians, possibly related by marriage, who were martyred together. They were –
• Claudius
• Dionysius
• Hypatius
• Lucillian
• Paul
They were martyred in 273 in Byzantium.
Martyrs of Rome – 8 saints: A group of Christians martyred together. We know nothing else about them but the names –
• Amasius
• Emerita
• Erasmus
• Lucianus
• Orasus
• Satuaucnus
• Septiminus
• Servulus
They were martyred in Rome, Italy, date unknown.
Martyrs of Rome – 86 saints: 85+ Christians martyred together in Rome, Italy, date unknown. The only details that have survived are some of their names –
• Apinus • Apronus • Aurelius • Avidus • Cassianus • Criscens • Cyprus • Domitius • Donata • Donatus • Emeritus • Extricatus • Exuperia • Faustina • Felicitas • Felix • Flavia • Florus • Fortunata • Fortunatus • Fructus • Gagia • Gagus • Gallicia • Gorgonia • Honorata • Januaria • Januarius • Justa • Justus • Libosus • Luca • Lucia • Matrona • Matura • Mesomus • Metuana • Nabor • Neptunalis • Obercus • Paula • Peter • Pompanus • Possemus • Prisca • Procula • Publius • Quintus • Rogatian • Romanus • Rufina • Saturnin • Saturnus • Secundus • Severa • Severus • Sextus • Silvana • Silvanus • Sinereus • Tertula • Titonia • Toga • Urban • Valeria • Veneria • Veranus • Victor • Victoria • Victorinus • Victuria • Victurina • Virianus • Weneria • Zetula.
They were martyred in Rome, Italy, date unknown.
Sunday Reflection – 27 May – The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
O my God, holiness becomes Your House and yet You dost made Your abode in my breast. My Lord, my Saviour, to me You come, hidden under the semblance of earthly things, yet in that very flesh and blood which You took from Mary. You, who did first inhabit Mary’s breast, come to me.
My God, You see me; I cannot see myself. Were I ever so good a judge about myself, ever so unbiased and with ever so correct a rule of judging, still, from my very nature, I cannot look at myself and view myself truly and wholly. But You, as You come to me, contemplates me.
When I say, Domine, non sum dignus—”Lord, I am not worthy”—You whom I am addressing, alone understands in their fullness the words which I use. You see how unworthy so great a sinner is to receive the One Holy God, whom the Seraphim adore with trembling. You see, not only the stains and scars of past sins but the mutilations, the deep cavities, the chronic disorders which they have left in my soul. You see the innumerable living sins, though they be not mortal, living in their power and presence, their guilt and their penalties, which clothe me. You see all my bad habits, all my mean principles, all wayward lawless thoughts, my multitude of infirmities and miseries, yet You come. You see most perfectly how little I really feel what I am now saying, yet You come.
O my God, left to myself should I not perish under the awful splendour and the consuming fire of Your Majesty. Enable me to bear You, lest I have to say with Peter, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
Quote/s of the Day – 25 May “Mary’s Month” – The Memorial of St Bede the Venerable (673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church and St Mary Magdalen de Pazzi (1566-1607)
“Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will.”
“Christ is the Morning Star,
who, when the night of this world is past,
gives to His saints, the promise of the light of life,
and opens everlasting day.”
“Prayer ought to be humble, fervent,
resigned, persevering and accompanied
with great reverence. One should consider,
that he stands in the presence of a God
and speaks with a Lord, before whom,
the angels tremble from awe and fear.”
“O Sisters, if we would only comprehend the fact,
that while the Eucharistic Species remain within us,
Jesus is there and working in us,
inseparably with the Father and the Holy Spirit
and therefore the whole Holy Trinity is there.”
Thought for the Day – 18 May – Friday of the Seventh Week of Eastertide and the Memorial of St Felix of Cantalice O.F.M. Cap.(1515-1587) “Brother Deo Gratias”
Saint Felix did not have what the world esteems; his education was lacking. But he knew five red letters — the wounds of the divine crucified One, Whom he worshipped daily in the Blessed Sacrament and one white one — the Virgin Mary, from whom he one day miraculously received the divine Child in his arms.
Thought for the Day – 17 May – Thursday of the Seventh Week of Eastertide and the Memorial of St Paschal Baylon O.F.M. (1540-1592) “Seraph of the Eucharist”.
Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament occupied much of Saint Francis of Assisi’s energy. Most of his letters were to promote devotion to the Eucharist. Paschal shared that concern.
The life of Saint Paschal Baylon is one of simple adoration of the Lord and great devotion to His Mother. Saint Paschal recognised the importance of spending time before Our Saviour, in contemplation of His passion, love and sacrifice—in the earthly presence of God. Through his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, Saint Paschal was graced with wisdom beyond his education and obedience and charity, beyond measure. His life inspires us to greater communion with the Lord, leading us to His spiritual treasures.
An hour in prayer before our Lord in the Eucharist could teach all of us a great deal.
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament
with bended knee and acknowledge that He is truly present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity!
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament
with a silent tongue and confess “Jesus in The Most Blessed Sacrament, you are Lord!”
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament
with bowed head and say “lead me, Lord”.
Go to Jesus in The Most Blessed Sacrament
with a humble heart and say “show me how to love as You love, Lord”.
Go to Jesus in The Most Blessed Sacrament
with folded hands and say “take my hands, use them as Your hands Lord”
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament
with a closed mouth and listen to Him whispering to our soul, and responding with “Yes Lord”.
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament
with a meek spirit and say, “Not by my power and my might but by Your power and Your might Lord!”
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament
with a fiat and say, “Not my will but Your will be done Lord!”
Quote/s of the Day – 17 May – Thursday of the Seventh Week of Eastertide and the Memorial of St Paschal Baylon O.F.M. (1540-1592)
“God is as really present in the consecrated Host as He is in the glory of Heaven”
“There is no more efficacious means than this
(Eucharistic Adoration)
for nourishing and increasing the piety of the people
toward this admirable pledge of love
which is a bond of peace and of unity.
Sunday Reflection – 13 May – The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord “O Blessed Host”
” Blessed Host” Eucharistic Prayer before Holy Communion
By St Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938)
Diary 159
O Blessed Host, in golden chalice enclosed for me,
That through the vast wilderness of exile I may pass –
pure, immaculate, undefiled;
Oh, grant that through the power of Your love
This might come to be.
O Blessed Host, take up Your dwelling within my soul,
O Thou my heart’s purest love!
With Your brilliance the darkness dispel.
Refuse not Your grace to a humble heart.
O Blessed Host, enchantment of all heaven,
Though Your beauty be veiled
And captured in a crumb of bread,
Strong faith tears away that veil.
Feast of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament – 13 May
History of the Title of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament
St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868), of France, had a strong devotion to the Holy Eucharist and Our Lady and began his priestly life in the Society of Mary. “But his heart burned with the desire to establish perpetual adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament exposed upon a royal throne and surrounded by a large court of adorers.” On 2 February 1851, at the shrine of Fourvière, the most Blessed Virgin had made him understand its necessity. ‘All the mysteries of my Son have a religious order of men to honour them. The Eucharist alone has none . . . .’
After several years of prudent reflection and interior combat, encouraged by Pope Pius IX, he founded the Congregation of the Most Blessed Sacrament at Paris on 13 May 1856
The title of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament was first given to Mary by St Peter Julian Eymard in May 1868, while speaking to his novices. A few years later he described what her statue should look like: “The Blessed Virgin holds the Infant in her arms and He holds a chalice in one hand and a Host in the other.” He exhorted them to invoke Mary: “Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us who have recourse to thee!”
Later, Pius IX enriched the invocation with indulgences. Twice, St Pius X did the same. On 30 December 1905, he granted a 300 days indulgence to the faithful who pray: “Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.”
“This title, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, is perhaps the most meaningful of all,” said St. Pius X.
In 1921 the Sacred Congregation of Rite authorised the Blessed Sacrament Congregations to celebrate each year, on 13 May, a “solemn commemoration of the Blessed Virgin,” with the intention of honouring Mary under the title of “Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament.” And of course this Feast is still celebrated today with great joy by all the spiritual sons and daughters of St Peter Julian Eymard.
St Pope John XXIII codified the title of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament when he declared St Peter Julian Eymard a saint on 9 December 1962, at the end of the last session of the Second Vatican Council.
Quote of the Day – 12 May – Saturday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide
“My TV is the tabernacle.”
Quote/s of the Day – 11 May – “Mary’s Month!” – Friday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide
“Who, more than Mary, could be, a star of hope for us?
With her “yes”, she opened the door of our world,
to God Himself; she became the living Ark of the Covenant,
in whom God took flesh, became one of us
and pitched His tent among us.”
“Consequently, every time we approach
the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharistic liturgy,
we also turn to her who, by her complete fidelity,
received Christ’s sacrifice for the whole Church.
The Synod Fathers rightly declared that
“Mary inaugurates the Church’s participation
in the sacrifice of the Redeemer.”
She is the Immaculata, who receives God’s gift
unconditionally and is thus associated with His work of salvation.
Mary of Nazareth, icon of the nascent Church,
is the model for each of us, called to receive the gift
that Jesus makes of Himself in the Eucharist.”
Quote/s of the Day – 10 May – Thursday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide, the Memorials of St John of Avila (1499-1569) “Apostle of Andalusia” “Father Master Avila” – Doctor of the Church and St Joseph de Veuster (1840-1889) – St Damian of Molokai
“Turn yourself round like a piece of clay and say to the Lord:
I am clay, and You, Lord, the potter.
Make of me what You will.”
“Withdraw your heart from the world
before God takes your body from it.”
Dear brothers and sisters, I pray God may open your eyes
and let you see what hidden treasures He bestows on us
in the trials from which the world thinks only to flee.
Shame turns into honour when we seek God’s glory.
Present affliction become the source of heavenly glory.
To those who suffer wounds in fighting His battles,
God opens His arms in loving, tender friendship.
That is why He (Christ) tells us, that if we want to join Him,
we shall travel the way He took.
It is surely not right that the Son of God should go His way
on the path of shame, while the sons of men
walk the way of worldly honour:
“The disciple is not above his teacher,
nor the servant greater than his master.”
“The Blessed Sacrament is indeed the stimulus for us all, for me as it should be for you, to forsake all worldly ambitions. Without the constant presence of our Divine Master upon the altar in my poor chapels, I never could have persevered casting my lot with the lepers of Molokai, the foreseen consequence of which, begins now to appear on my skin and is felt throughout the body. Holy Communion being the daily bread of a priest, I feel myself happy, well pleasedand resigned in the rather exceptional circumstances, in which it has pleased Divine Providence to put me.”
Sunday Reflection – 6 May – Sixth Sunday of Eastertide B
Lay your whle being, your faculties and all your works in homage at the foot of the Eucharistic Altar and Throne and say to the Lord:
“To You alone be love and glory!”
Offer Him the homage of your thoughts, desiring the Divine Eucharist to be the dominant thought of your life;
the homage of your affections, calling Jesus, the King and God of your heart;
the homage of your will, desiring henceforth to have no other law,
no other end than His service,
His love
and His glory;
the homage of your memory, in order to remember Him alone and thus to live
in Him,
by Him
and for Him alone.
Then contemplate the greatness of the love of Jesus as He institutes, multiplies and perpetuates His Divine Eucharist, to the end of time.
Marvel at His wisdom in the Divine invention which excites the wonder of the angels themselves.
Praise His power which has triumphed over every obstacle and exalt His goodness,
which has determined the gifts of that power.
On realising that you are the very end of the greatest and the holiest of Sacraments,
break forth into a transport of joy and love,
for you alone,
what He has done for all!
What LOVE!
Our Morning Offering – 6 May – The Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B
Prayer to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
By Fr Vincent Martin Luca
With all my heart, I love You, Jesus
because You are all good
and deserving of all my love,
for You died for my sins,
the just man for the sake of the unjust,
that You may lead me to God the Father.
From Your Eucharistic Heart,
the Source of all Love,
renew Your Spirit within me
that I may love others,
with a new heart
made from Your very own Love.
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 24 April – Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Eastertide and the Memorial of St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier (1796-1868)
“Draw near to our Lord, thoroughly aware
of you own nothingness and you may hope
all things from His Goodness and Mercy.
Never forget that Jesus Christ is no less generous
in the Blessed Sacrament than He was
during His mortal life on earth.”
“The Blessed Sacrament is the first
and supreme object of our worship.
We must preserve, in the depths of our hearts,
a constant and uninterrupted, profound adoration,
of this precious pledge, of Divine Love.”
“To speak of the Blessed Sacrament,
is to speak of what is most sacred.
How often, when we are in a state of distress,
those to whom we look for help leave us;
or what is worse, add to our affliction
by heaping fresh troubles upon us.
He is ever there waiting to help us.”
“May your heart be an altar,
from which the bright flame,
of unending thanksgiving
ascends to heaven.”
“It is human to fall
but angelic to rise again.”
“One person is of more value
than the whole world.”
“Do well ALL that you do!”
Quote/s of the Day – 21 April – Saturday of the Third Week of Eastertide, the Memorial of St Anselm (1033-1109) Doctor of the Church and of St Conrad of Parzham OFM Cap. (1818-1894)
“Remove grace
and you have nothing
whereby to be saved.
Remove free will
and you have nothing
that could be saved.”
“God has promised pardon
to him that repents
but he has not promised repentance
to him that sins.”
Prayer of Adoration and Repentance/Night Prayer
By St Conrad of Parzham (1818-1894)
I have come to spend
a few moments with You, O Jesus
and in spirit I prostrate myself in the dust
before Your Holy Tabernacle to adore You,
my Lord and God, in deepest humility.
Once more, a day has come to its close, dear Jesus,
another day which brings me nearer to the grave
and my beloved heavenly home.
Once more, O Jesus, my heart longs for You,
the true Bread of Life, which contains
all sweetness and relish.
O my Jesus,
mercifully grant me pardon for the faults
and ingratitude of this day
and come to me,
to refresh my poor heart which longs for You.
As the heart pants for the waters,
as the parched earth longs for the dew of heaven,
even so does my poor heart long for You,
You Fount of Life.
I love You, O Jesus,
I hope in You,
I love You
and out of love for You,
I regret sincerely all my sins.
May Your peace and Your benediction be mine,
now and always and for all eternity.
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 20 April – Friday of the Third Week of Eastertide – Today’s Gospel: John 6:52-59
“You can call happy those who saw Him.
But, come to the altar and
you will see Him,
you will touch Him,
you will give to Him holy kisses,
you will wash Him with your tears,
you will carry Him within you
like Mary Most Holy.”
“The Blessed Eucharist is the perfect Sacrament
of the Lord’s Passion, since
It contains Christ Himself and his Passion.”
“The last degree of love
is when He gave Himself to us
to be our Food;
because He gave Himself to be
united with us in every way.”
“Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament
is the greatest after the sacraments,
the one dearest to God
and the one most helpful to us.”
“Upon receiving Holy Communion,
the Adorable Blood of Jesus Christ
really flows in our veins and His Flesh
is really blended with ours.”
“I urge you with all the strength of my soul
to approach the Eucharistic Table
as often as possible.
Feed on this Bread of the Angels from which
you will draw the strength to fight inner struggles.”
Thought for the Day – – Tuesday of the Third Week of Eastertide – Today’s Gospel: John 6:30–35 & the Memorial of Bl Andrés Hibernón Real O.F.M. (1534-1602) ) ‘Apostle of Eucharistic Adoration’
Meditation, wherever it is made,
pleases God.
But it seems that Jesus,
especially delights in prayer,
made before the Blessed Sacrament.
Did he not leave Himself for us
in this sacrament to be food for our spirit
and to be present for all who seek Him?
We cannot all make pilgrimages
to the places where Jesus lived
but the Lord who died for us
on the cross of Calvary
now dwells in person,
in the tabernacle – waiting.
We need not await a command
as we would of an earthly king,
to enter His presence –
He is waiting for us
to lay before Him our wants
and to seek His help.
So that we may taste
the sweetness of His presence,
it is good to empty ourselves
of earthly desires.
Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46: 10
What pleasure is found in spending
a long time before the altar
where the Lord dwells!
What heavenly sweetness the Lord
allows us to taste and enjoy!
We should stay there, not to enjoy
sweetness and consolation
but to give pleasure to God
by making acts of love, saying
O my God, I love
and desire nothing but You.
Grant that I may always love You;
then do with me and all I possess,
as You please.
These acts of love,
even when made without sensible delight,
please god greatly.
For good people often have to bear
with distractions and dryness in prayer.
As for distractions,
of these we must not make much account.
It is enough to drive them away
when they come.
Do not on this account leave off prayer.
Saint Francis de Sales said:
“If, in meditation, we do nothing
but drive away distractions,
our meditation would be of great profit.”
And as for dryness:
this is the greatest pain
for those given to prayer,
for we find ourselves without
any sensible desire of loving God.
Added to this, at times, is the fear
of being separated from God
because of our sins.
There is the feeling
of being in utter darkness
without any way of escape.
At such times let us unite our desolation
with that which Jesus suffered on the cross.
If we can say nothing else,
it is enough to say,
at least by an act of the will:
My God, I desire to love You.
Have pity on me;
Leave me not.
PRAYER of one in deep affliction.
My God, I love You tenderly
though I feel You far away.
I will seek You ceaselessly
lest from You I stray.
AMEN
One Minute Reflection – Tuesday of the Third Week of Eastertide – Today’s Gospel: John 6:30–35 & the memorial of Bl Andrés Hibernón Real O.F.M. (1534-1602)
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst…John 6:35
REFLECTION – “When I stand up to talk, people listen to me; they will follow what I have to say. Is it any power of mine? Of course not. St Paul says, ‘What have you that you have not received and you who have received, why do you glory as if you had not?’ But the secret of my power is that I have never, in fifty-five years, missed spending an hour in the presence of our Lord, in the Blessed Sacrament. That’s where the power comes from. That’s where sermons are born. That’s where every good thought is conceived.” …Venerable Archbishop Fulton J Sheen (1895-1979)
PRAYER – Lord Jesus, present for me in the Holy Eucharist, everyday, everywhere. Lord Jesus, the life of my soul, the food of my life, the quenching of my thirst. Let me love You in the Holy Eucharist. May Your Sacred Heart become my heart. Blessed Andrés Hibernón Real, you who loved to spend time with the Lord, who never missed a day being with Him, please pray for us, amen.
Thought for the Day – 16 April – Monday of the Third Week of Eastertide and the Memorial of St Benedict Joseph Labre – Known as the Beggar of Perpetual Adoration (1748-1783)
Benedict Joseph Labre was truly eccentric, one of God’s special little ones. Born in France and the eldest of 18 children, he studied under his uncle, a parish priest. Because of poor health and a lack of suitable academic preparation he was unsuccessful in his attempts to enter the religious life. Then, at age 16, a profound change took place. Benedict lost his desire to study and gave up all thoughts of the priesthood, much to the consternation of his relatives.
He became a pilgrim, traveling from one great shrine to another, living off alms. He wore the rags of a beggar and shared his food with the poor. Filled with the love of God and neighbour, Benedict had special devotion to the Blessed Mother and to the Blessed Sacrament. In Rome, where he lived in the Colosseum for a time, he was called “the poor man of the Forty Hours devotion” and “the beggar of Rome.”
On 16 April 1783, the last day of his life, Benedict dragged himself to a church in Rome and prayed there for two hours before he collapsed, dying peacefully in a nearby house. Immediately after his death, the people proclaimed him a saint.
Benedict Joseph Labre was canonised by Pope Leo XIII in 1881.
St Benedict’s life reminds us that the Lord loves and has a beautiful plan for all His creations, despite what society may judge or view them as. I, personally, do not regard him as being mentally ill, though many do and he is the Patron of mental illness and against insanity. For me, his mission was simply a striving, throughout his life to grow closer to the Lord, to serve Him through his neighbour and to serve as an example for others. I see shades of St Francis and many other Saints. He faced multiple rejections with grace and eventually changed his plan in obedience to God, never giving up his search for holiness. We are challenged by the life of this saint to consider our own actions, both when we encounter difficulties in our lives that prevent us from following what we perceive to be the will of God and also when we encounter those individuals in our communities who society has written off, marginalised and judged as ‘less than’ and ‘unworthy’.
My thought is this, that if we seek Christ who sought us first, we will find Him, for He is right beside us, whatever our circumstances. St Benedict found Him, in his neighbour and waiting quietly, in the Real Presence of the Blessed Sacrament, as He waits for you and me.
St Benedict Joseph Labre, pray for us! (Last year’s Saint of the Day – https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/saint-of-the-day-16-april-st-benedict-joseph-labre/)
Bl Arcangelo Canetoli
St Benedict Joseph Labre – Known as the Beggar of Perpetual Adoration (1748-1783)
St Bernadette of Lourdes – The Visionary of Lourdes (1844-1879)
St Drogo
St Elias
St Fructuosus of Braga
St Herveus of Tours
Bl Joachim Piccolomini
St Lambert of Saragossa
St Lambert of Saragossa
St Magnus of Orkney
St Turibius of Astorga
St Vaise
St William Gnoffi
—
Martyrs of Avrillé – 26 beati: – A group of lay people who were executed together for their faith during the anti-Christian persecutions of the French Revolution. They were martyred on 16 April 1794 at Avrillé, Maine-et-Loire, France.
• Blessed Anne Maugrain
• Blessed François Micheneau veuve Gillot
• Blessed François Suhard veuve Ménard
• Blessed Jean Ménard
• Blessed Jeanne Gourdon veuve Moreau
• Blessed Jeanne Leduc épouse Paquier
• Blessed Jeanne Onillon veuve Onillon
• Blessed Jeanne Thomas veuve Delaunay
• Blessed Madeleine Cady épouse Desvignes
• Blessed Madeleine Sallé épouse Havard
• Blessed Marguerite Robin
• Blessed Marie Forestier
• Blessed Marie Gingueneau veuve Coiffard
• Blessed Marie Lardeux
• Blessed Marie Piou épouse Supiot
• Blessed Marie Rechard
• Blessed Marie Roger veuve Chartier
• Blessed Marie-Genevieve Poulain de la Forestrie
• Blessed Marthe Poulain de la Forestrie
• Blessed Perrine Bourigault
• Blessed Perrine Laurent
• Blessed Perrine Pottier épouse Turpault
• Blessed Pierre Delépine
• Blessed Renée Bourgeais veuve Juret
• Blessed Renée Rigault épouse Papin
• Blessed Renée Sechet veuve Davy
16 April 1794 at Avrillé, Maine-et-Loire, France – Beatified: 19 February 1984 by Pope John Paul II at Rome, Italy
Martyrs of Corinth – 9 saints: A group of nine Christians who were tortured and martyred together in the persecutions of Decius. We know little more than three of their names – Callistus, Charisius and Leonide. They were thrown into the sea at Corinth, Greece c250
Martyrs of Saragossa: Group of eighteen martyrs murdered in 304 in Saragossa, Spain in the persecutions of Diocletian and the prefect Dacean. We know little more than the names – Apodemus, Caecilian, Caius, Crementius, Engratia, Eventius, Felix, Fronto, Gaius, Julia, Lambert, Lupercus, Martial, Optatus, Primitivus, Publius, Quintilian, Saturnius (4 men of this name), Succesus and Urban. Their graves re-discovered in 1389 in the crypt under the church of San Encrazia in Saragossa.
Sunday Reflection – 8 April – Low Sunday the Octave Day of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday
“He is not past, He is present now.” – Bl John Henry Newman (1801-1890) on the Eucharist
In every Mass Christ comes to us, in the Blessed Eucharist, Christ remains with us – Christ counteracts Time and the World
What makes Christianity in its fullness, much more than a historical religion – though Protestants claim their religion to be just that, and, indeed, Christ died long ago – is the fact that He is “living among us with a continual presence”.
In every Holy Mass we are touched by Christ’s spiritual presence when the Gospel is proclaimed. We are touched by His real, full and personal presence in the Eucharist. When we walk up to receive the Eucharist, Christ Jesus comes to us. He remains with us in the Blessed Sacrament, whether in the tabernacle or exposed for our adoration. With Newman’s words from a sermon of 25th May 1858:
“He is not past, He is present now. And though He is not seen, He is here. The same God who walked the water, who did miracles, etc., is in the Tabernacle. We come before Him, we speak to Him just as He was spoken to … years ago.”
We receive Christ Jesus, when we receive the consecrated host. We adore Him, we listen to Him and we dare to speak to Him. When we receive Holy Communion, He wants to grow in us and wants us to grow towards Him:
“In every holy mass and especially in communion but also whenever we adore Christ Jesus, kneeling before the tabernacle or before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, our fleeting lives touch eternity as the living God touches us. God, does not merely present Himself before us as the Object of worship but God actually gives Himself to us to be received into our breasts. wonderful communion”!
The Eucharist brings Christians of all times, whether in the action of holy Mass or in the stillness of the Blessed Sacrament into the presence of Christ and is the living reminder that we live at all times in the presence of God and have the presence of God within us and before us in a passing world. It makes us realise that although every day and hour passes and will never come back, we are held and find our stay in the presence and love of God. The real presence of God in the Holy Eucharist makes us realise that eternal life, our life with God, has begun for us with baptism and cannot be lost to us by any outward force, only by severe sin. Therefore Newman can say that by the Holy Eucharist “We are brought into the unseen world.” (Excerpted Sr Brigitte Maria Hoegemann FSO)
Devotion for the Month of April – The Holy Eucharist
The Church has historically encouraged the month of April for increased devotion to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. “The Church in the course of the centuries has introduced various forms of this Eucharistic worship which are ever increasing in beauty and helpfulness; as, for example, visits of devotion to the tabernacles, even every day; Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; solemn processions, especially at the time of Eucharistic Congresses, which pass through cities and villages; and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament publicly exposed . . . These exercises of piety have brought a wonderful increase in faith and supernatural life to the Church militant upon earth and they are re-echoed to a certain extent by the Church triumphant in heaven, which sings continually a hymn of praise to God and to the Lamb ‘Who was slain.'” -Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958) Pope from 1939 to his death in 1958.
Prayer before Holy Communion
By St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)
Oh! Yes, Lord Jesus, come and reign!
Let my body be Your temple,
my heart Your throne,
my will Your devoted servant;
let me be Yours forever,
living only in You and for You!
Amen
Eucharistic Adoration By: St Pope John Paul II
“I encourage Christians regularly to visit Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament, for we are all called to abide in the presence of God. In contemplation, Christians will perceive ever more profoundly the mystery at the heart of Christian life.
I urge priests, religious and lay people to continue and redouble their efforts to teach the younger generations the meaning and value of Eucharistic adoration and devotion. How will young people be able to know the Lord if they are not introduced to the mystery of His presence? Like the young Samuel, by learning the words of the prayer of the heart, they will be closer to the Lord, who will accompany them in their spiritual and human growth. The Eucharistic mystery is in fact the “summit of evangelisation” (Lumen Gentium) for it is the most eminent testimony to Christ’s resurrection.”
Private Eucharistic Adoration
Venerable Fr Benedict Groeschel points out in the book, “In the Presence of Our Lord : The History, Theology and Psychology of Eucharistic Devotion” that there are “four kinds of prayer most appropriate in the presence of the Eucharist, namely adoration and praise, thanksgiving, repentance and trusting intercession.” Accordingly, here are suggestions for what to do during private Eucharistic adoration.
1. Pray the Psalms or the Liturgy of the Hours
Whether you are praising, giving thanks, asking for forgiveness or seeking an answer, you’ll find an appropriate psalm. The ancient prayer of the Church called the Liturgy of the Hours presents an excellent way to pray through the Book of Psalms throughout the year.
2. Recite the “Jesus Prayer”
Say “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner”, repeatedly as you quiet your heart and mind.
3. Meditate using Scripture
Choose a passage from the Bible. read the words and ask God to let the passage speak to you. Pay special attention to anything that strikes you and ask God what He wishes for you to draw from that message.
4. Read the life of a saint and pray with him or her
Most holy men and women have had a great devotion to Our Lord in the Eucharist. Therese of Lisieux, Catherine of Siena, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Peter Julian Eymard, Dorothy Day. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Baroness Catherine de Hueck are just a few. Read about them and pray their prayers before the Blessed Sacrament.
5. Pour out your heart to Christ and adore Him
Speak to Jesus, aware that you are in His presence and tell Him all that comes to your mind. Listen for His response. Pray the prayer that St Francis instructed his brothers to pray whenever they were before the Blessed Sacrament: “I adore You, O Christ, present here and in all the churches of the world, for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.”
6. Ask for forgiveness and intercede for others
Think of those who have hurt you and request a special blessing for them. Ask God to forgive you for all the times you have neglected or hurt someone else. Bring before the Blessed Sacrament all those who have asked you to pray for them. Ask the Lord to address their concerns.
7. Pray the Rosary
St Pope John Paul II reminds us, “…is not the enraptured gaze of Mary as she contemplated the face of the newborn Chris and cradled him in her arms that unparalleled model of love which should inspire us every time we receive Eucharistic communion?” (The Church and the Eucharist, 55) Ask Mary to join you as you gaze on Christ in the Eucharist and as you pray the Rosary.
8. Sit quietly and just “be” in the presence of God
Think of a visit to the Blessed Sacrament as coming to see your best friend. Sit quietly and enjoy being in each other’s company. Instead of talking to the Lord, try listening to what He wants to tell you.
Prayer before the Eucharistic Presence
By Bl John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
I place myself in the presence of Him,
in whose Incarnate Presence I am,
before I place myself there.
I adore You, O my Saviour,
present here as God and man,
in soul and body,
in true flesh and blood.
I acknowledge and confess,
that I kneel before the Sacred Humanity,
which was conceived in Mary’s womb
and lay in Mary’s bosom;
which grew up to man’s estate
and by the Sea of Galilee, called the Twelve,
wrought miracles and spoke words of wisdom and peace;
Who in due season hung on the cross,
lay in the tomb, rose from the dead
and now reigns in heaven.
I praise and bless
and give myself wholly to Him,
Who is the true Bread of my soul
and my everlasting joy. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 26 February 2018 – Monday of the Second Week of Lent
O Heart of Jesus, I Offer You All
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
O Heart of Jesus, all love,
I offer You these humble prayers for myself
and for all those who unite themselves
with me in spirit to adore You.
O holiest Heart of Jesus most lovely,
I intend to renew and to offer to You,
these acts of adoration and these prayers,
for myself a wretched sinner
through all moments while I breathe,
even to the end of my life.
I recommend to You, O my Jesus,
Holy Church, Your dear spouse
and our true Mother, all just souls
and all poor sinners, the afflicted,
the dying and all mankind.
Let not Your Blood be shed for them in vain.
Finally, deign to apply it, in relief of the
souls in Purgatory and of these in particular
…………………………………..
Amen
AnaStpaul 
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