St. Thomas Aquinas: Prayer Before Holy Communion

Almighty and ever-living God,

I approach the sacrament

of Your only-begotten Son

Our Lord Jesus Christ.

I come sick to the doctor of life,

unclean to the fountain of mercy,

blind to the radiance of eternal light,

and poor and needy to the Lord

of heaven and earth.

Lord, in your great generosity,

heal my sickness,

wash away my defilement,

enlighten my blindness,

enrich my poverty,

and clothe my nakedness.

May I receive the Bread of angels,

the King of kings and Lord of lords,

with humble reverence,

with the purity and faith,

the repentance and love,

and the determined purpose

that will help to bring me to salvation.

May I receive the sacrament

of the Lord's Body and Blood,

and its reality and power.

Kind God,

may I receive the Body

of Your only-begotten Son,

Our Lord Jesus Christ,

born from the womb of the Virgin Mary,

and so be received into His mystical body

and numbered among His members.

Loving Father,

as on my earthly pilgrimage

I now receive Your beloved Son

under the veil of a sacrament,

may I one day see Him face to face in glory,

Who lives and reigns with You for ever.

Amen.

~ Saint Thomas Aquinas ~

Eucharistic Miracles: The Real Presence of Jesus Among Us

John 6

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?"

53 Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.

54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

Pope St. Pius X: Devotion to the Eucharist

"The devotion to the Eucharist is the most noble,

because it has God as its object;

it is most profitable for salvation,

because it gives us the Author of Grace;

it is the sweetest,

because the Lord is Sweetness Itself."

~ Pope St. Pius X ~

Fr. Leo Clifford, O.F.M.: Reflections on Holy Communion

Eucharistic Devotion: Consecrating Ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

"...I urge you to draw close to the Heart of Jesus opened wide for you in the Holy Eucharist, by your faithful participation in the Sunday Mass and in weekday Mass, when possible, and by your Eucharistic devotion, especially Eucharistic visits and adoration.

"Placing our hearts within the Sacred Heart of Jesus through participation in the Holy Eucharist and Eucharistic devotion, let us enthrone the image of His Sacred Heart in our homes and places of work and recreation, consecrating ourselves and all that we do to His service. The Sacred Heart devotion is a most fitting and efficacious way of extending Eucharistic worship and devotion into every moment of our lives and every aspect of our lives. Christ must reign in us for the salvation of the world. Sharers in Christ’s own Spirit, we must more and more turn over our lives completely to Him."

~ Archbishop Raymond Burke, Installation Mass Homily, St. Louis, Misssouri, 2004 ~ 

Verbo Caro Factum Est: The Word Became Flesh

Verbum Caro factum est. Habitavit in nobis (The Word became flesh & dwelt among us)

Notum fecit Dominus, salutare suum (The Lord has made his salvation known)

Prope invocavit me, Pater meus es tu (Near is He who calls me, You are my Father)

(Sung by the Cathedral Singers, Richard Proulx (RIP) director)

Fr. Samuel Medley: Risen Jesus in the Eucharist Tranforms Us

"Jesus rose from the dead.

St. Paul was transformed.

The Host at Lanciano turned to Blood and Flesh.

The Shroud of Turin left an imprint.

Are these great miracles?

Another great miracle is your transformation, but do you believe?"

~ Fr. Samuel Medley ~

Audio of Fr. Medley's homily:  Risen Jesus in the Eucharist Transforms Us 

Cardinal Arinze: Communion-plates, Altar Rails, Training of Altar Servers, Number of Daily Holy Communions Allowed

[93.] The Communion-plate for the Communion of the faithful should be retained, so as to avoid the danger of the sacred host or some fragment of it falling.[180]

[94.] It is not licit for the faithful “to take . . . by themselves . . . and, still less, to hand . . . from one to another” the sacred host or the sacred chalice.[181] Moreover, in this regard, the abuse is to be set aside whereby spouses administer Holy Communion to each other at a Nuptial Mass.

[95.] A lay member of Christ’s faithful “who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only within a Eucharistic Celebration in which he or she is participating, with due regard for the prescriptions of can. 921 § 2.”[182]

~ Excerpts from Redemptionis Sacramentum

On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided

regarding the Most Holy Eucharist

Cardinal Arinze: Communion on the Tongue and Kneeling is the Church Norm

[90.] “The faithful should receive Communion kneeling or standing, as the Conference of Bishops will have determined”, with its acts having received the recognitio of the Apostolic See. “However, if they receive Communion standing, it is recommended that they give due reverence before the reception of the Sacrament, as set forth in the same norms”.[176]

[91.] In distributing Holy Communion it is to be remembered that “sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them”.[177] Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing.

[92.] Although each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice,[178] if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand, in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the recognitio of the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is to be administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his hand. If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful.[179]

~ Excerpt from: Redemptionis Sacramentum

On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided

regarding the Most Holy Eucharist ~

Archbishop Timothy Broglio: Participation in the Mystery of the Eucharist

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, speaks about the Eucharist.

Pope Benedict XVI Supports Receiving Communion on the Tongue While Kneeling

Pope Benedict XVI speaks without words!

Old news from June, 2008--but worth meditating upon.  

Prayer of St. Padre Pio After Holy Communion

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You.
         You know how easily I abandon You.
Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You, I am in darkness.
Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.
Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.
Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your company.
Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.
Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of consolation for You, 
         a nest of love.
Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes;

         death, judgment, eternity approaches.

         It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You.

         It is getting late and death approaches,

         I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows.

         O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!
Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers. I need You.
         Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread,

         so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness,

         the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.
Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You,

         if not by communion, at least by grace and love.
Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it,

         but the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You!
Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for,
         Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit,

         because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.
With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth
         and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity.
Amen.

Prayer to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament to Become a Saint

Dear Jesus, in the Sacrament of the Altar,

be forever thanked and praised.

Love, worthy of all celestial and terrestrial love!

Who, out of infinite love for me,

ungrateful sinner,

didst assume our human nature,

didst shed Thy most Precious Blood in the cruel scourging,

and didst expire on a shameful Cross

for our eternal welfare!

Now illumined with lively faith,

with the outpouring of my whole soul

and the fervor of my heart,

I humbly beseech Thee,

through the infinite merits of Thy painful sufferings,

give me strength and courage

to destroy every evil passion which sways my heart,

to bless Thee by the exact fulfillment of my duties,

supremely to hate all sin,

and thus to become a Saint.

St. Jean Vianney: The Gift of Faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist

Ah! if we had the eyes of angels with which to see Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is here present on this altar, and who is looking at us, how we should love Him! We should never more wish to part from Him. We should wish to remain always at His feet; it would be a foretaste of Heaven: all else would become insipid to us. But see, it is faith we lack. We are poor blind people; we have a mist before our eyes. Faith alone can dispel this mist. Soon, my children, when I shall hold Our Lord in my hands, when the good God blesses you, ask Him then to open the eyes of your heart; say to Him like the blind man of Jericho, "O Lord, make me see!" If you say to Him sincerely, "Make me see!" you will certainly obtain what you desire, because He wishes nothing but your happiness.

~ St. Jean Vianney, from his Catechism on the Real Presence ~

Tantum Ergo

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque: Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

"Love keeps Him there [in the Blessed Sacrament] as a victim completely and perpetually delivered over to sacrifice for the glory of the Father and for our salvation. Unite yourself with Him, then, in all that you do. Refer everything to His glory. Set up your abode in this loving Heart of Jesus and you will there find lasting peace and the strength both to bring to fruition all the good desires He inspires in you, and to avoid every deliberate fault. Place in this Heart all your sufferings and difficulties. Everything that comes from the Sacred Heart is sweet. He changes everything into love."

~ St. Margaret Mary Alacoque ~

St. Teresa of Avila: Audience With the King of Glory

"To converse with You, O King of glory, no third person is needed,

You are always ready in the Sacrament of the Altar to give audience to all.

All who desire You always find You there, and converse with You face to face."

~ St. Teresa of Avila ~

Requirements Before Receiving Holy Communion in the Catholic Church

How Do I Receive the Eucharist?

In the Holy Eucharist we receive the very Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ.

The Eucharist:

Gives us innumerable precious graces.

Is an intimate encounter with Christ.

Deepens unity with the Church, more fully assimilating us into Christ . We sacramentally receive Him into our bodies, that we may be more deeply assimilated into His.

Strengthens the individual because it is Jesus Himself, the Word made flesh.

Forgives our venial sins and gives us the strength to resist mortal sin.

Is the very channel of eternal life. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." (John 6:53)

BEFORE RECEIVING COMMUNION THERE ARE SEVERAL REQUIREMENTS.

1. You must be in a state of grace.

"Whoever therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. " (1st Corinthians 11:27)

Sometimes Catholics who are in a state of mortal sin, out of habit or fear of embarrassment, choose to go forward and offend God rather than stay in the pew. The Church's ancient faith on this is expressed in the Didache, written around AD 70, which says, "Whosoever is holy (in a state of grace), let him approach. Whosoever is not, let him repent".

2. You must have been to confession since your last mortal sin.

The Didache witnesses to this practice of the early Church. "But first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one".

The code of Canon Law indicates that the same applies today. "A person who is conscious of a grave sin is not to receive the body of the Lord.

3. You must believe in the transubstantiation.

"For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement upon himself". (1st Corinthians 11:29)

4. You must observe the Eucharistic fast.

One who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain from any food or drink, with the exception only of water and medicine, for at least the period of one hour before Holy Communion" .

5. You must have made your First Communion.

6. You must not be under an ecclesiastical censure, such as excommunication.

Those who are excommunicated and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion. A common excommunication is automatically incurred by receiving or participating in an abortion.

WHEN YOU MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST FREQUENTLY.

Communion on the Tongue

When giving the Body of the Lord to a communicant, the minister raises the host over the vessel and says, "The Body of Christ."

The preferred way of receiving Communion is on the tongue. For the priest to administer Holy Communion, your tongue must be far enough out for him to reverently place the host on it without having to put his fingers in your mouth.

Communion in the Hand

As you approach, place your left hand on top of your right hand in the form of a cross, and with your palm open receive the Body of Christ, saying, "Amen." You may then step to one side, still facing the altar, take the precious host, with the fingers of your right hand, and place the host reverently on your tongue. Then proceed with hands together, back to your pew.

Finally, give appropriate thanks. After receiving Jesus into one's own body and being further absorbed into his, how could one do less? ( Source)

St. Faustina: Energizing Ourselves to Radiate Love and Mercy to Others

"Not only are we to receive and adore the Eucharist, we must live the Eucharist. We are to let the rays of mercy from the monstrance pass through us and go out through all the world. We are to be icons of mercy, radiating love and mercy to others. There is no greater way to energize ourselves to this task than by spending time in the Presence of the Source of Love and Mercy, Our Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist. This is seen in the example given by one saintly priest: If we were to sit for an hour a few feet away from a radioactive element, how much would that change effect us? The Lord is infinitely more powerful than this and if we go to Him seeking grace and mercy, how much more can we hope to be changed?!"

 ~ St. Faustina, Divine Mercy Prayer Book ~

Litany of the Blessed Sacrament

Leader: Lord, have mercy on us.
All: Christ, have mercy on us.

Leader: Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
All: Christ, graciously hear us.

Leader: God, the Father of Heaven.
All: Have mercy on us.

Please respond to each of the following "Have mercy on us."

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,
Jesus, living bread that came down from heaven,
Incarnate Word, who dwells among us,
Hidden God and Savior,
Lamb without spot,
Memorial of the death of Christ,
Unbloody Sacrifice of the New Testament,
Perpetual Sacrifice,
True Propitiation for the living and the dead,
Most worthy Sacrifice of praise and adoration,
Most powerful Sacrifice of petition and thanksgiving,
Most high and adorable Sacrament,
Living Bread, given for the life of the world,
O Bread containing all sweetness,
Hidden Manna,
Food of Angels,
Nourishment of the elect,
Chalice of benediction,
Mystery of faith,
Memorial of the wonders of God,
Most sacred Treasure of holy Church,
Tree of life in the midst of paradise,
Source of all graces,
Fountain of living water,
Sweetest banquet, at which the angels minister,
Heavenly antidote, by which we are preserved from sin,
Consolation in all sufferings,
Strength of the weak and the weary,
Refreshment of holy souls,
Bond of love and peace,
Foretaste of the heavenly banquet,
Viaticum of those who die in the Lord,
Medicine of immortality,
Pledge of future glory,
Be merciful,--spare us, O Jesus,
Be merciful,--graciously hear us, O Jesus.
From the unworthy reception of Your Body and Blood--deliver us, O Jesus,
From the concupiscence of the flesh,
From the concupiscence of the eyes,
From the pride of life,
From every occasion of sin,
From all irreverence toward the Blessed Sacrament,
Through the desire where with You longed to eat the Pasch with Your disciples,
Through the profound humility wherewith You washed the feet of Your disciples,
Through the ardent charity whereby You instituted the most Holy Sacrament,
Through Your great desire whereby You wished to remain with us till the end of time,
Through the life-giving strength of Your most sacred Body,
Through Your Precious Blood which You shed for us,
Through the five wounds of Your most holy Body,
Through Your Heart, burning with love for us,
We poor sinners,--we beseech You, hear us,
That You would vouchsafe to preserve and increase our faith and reverence toward this adorable Sacrament,
That You would preserve us from heresy, unbelief, and blindness of heart,
That You would kindle in us deep love for and devotion to this most Holy Sacrament,
That You would unite us in love of You and of our neighbor,
That You would preserve us from a sacreligious Communion,
That You would kindle in us a desire for frequent Communion,
That You would vouchsafe to impart to us the precious fruits of this divine Sacrament,
That at the hour of death You would strengthen us with this heavenly Viaticum,
That You would lead us to the blissful vision of Your divinity and humanity,
That you would raise us up to a glorious immortality, Son of God,

Leader: Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
All: Spare us, O Jesus.

Leader: Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
All: Graciously hear us, O Jesus.

Leader: Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
All: Have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

V. You gave them bread from heaven. (Alleluia.)

R. Having in Itself every delight. (Alleluia.)

Let us pray. O God, we possess a lasting memorial to Your passion in this wondrous sacrament. Grant that we may so venerate the mysteries of Your Body and Blood that we might always feel within ourselves the effects of Your redemption. You who live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

The Most Blessed Sacrament: Mystery of Love

You loved me from all eternity,

therefore you created me.

You loved me after you had made me,

therefore you became man for me.

You loved me after you became man for me,

therefore you lived and died for me.

You loved me after you had died for me,

therefore you rose again for me.

You loved me after you had risen for me,

therefore you went to prepare a place for me.

You loved me after you had gone to prepare a place for me,

therefore you came back to me.

You loved me after you came back to me,

therefore you desired to enter into me and be united to me.

This is the meaning of the Blessed Sacrament.

The mystery of love.

~ Archbishop Goodier ~

St. Padre Pio and the Mass

"It would be easier for the world to exist without the sun than without the Holy Mass."

When You Miss One Holy Communion

When You Miss One Holy Communion has already been posted on one of my other blogs, Grateful for Purgatory, but its message is too important not to repeat it.

WHEN YOU MISS ONE HOLY COMMUNION

It is well for you to consider what you lose every time that you pass up Holy Communion.

1. You miss a personal visit with Jesus, Author of all spiritual energy and of all holiness;

2. You lose a special increase of sanctifying grace, which makes your soul more pleasing to God;

3. You lose a quota of sacramental grace which entitles you to special help in times of temptation and in the discharge of your daily duties;

4. You lose a precious opportunity of having all of your venial sins wiped away;

5. You miss the special preserving influence which each Holy Communion confers against the fires of passion;

6. You miss the opportunity of having remitted a part, or all, of the temporal punishments due to your sins;

7. You lose the spiritual joy, the sweetness and particular comfort that come from a fervent Holy Communion;

8. You lose a part of the glory that your body might enjoy at its resurrection on the Last Day;

9. You lose the greater degree of glory you would possess in Heaven for all eternity;

10. You may lose: a) complete victory over some fault or passion; b) some particular grace long prayed for; c) the conversion or salvation of some soul; d) deliverance of a relative or friend from Purgatory; e) many graces for others, both the living and the dead.

Will a few extra minutes of sleep repay you for all these losses?

What riches hundreds of thousands of Catholics deprive themselves daily by neglecting Mass. It in itself is the best preparation for Holy Communion. At the hour of death our greatest consolation will be the Masses we have heard and the Holy Communions received.

With Ecclesiastical Approval
Chicago, December 6, 1940

(Source)

~ Related post: Blessed Mother Leads Us To Jesus ~

Prayer of Consecration to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

Most Sacred, Eucharistic Heart of Jesus,

Eternal Victim, truly present in the tabernacles of the world,

to You I consecrate my entire being, body and soul.

I place in Your Heart, burning ember of Divine Love,

my every burden and petition.

Take me and use me according to Your need

to bring about the Glorious Reign of Your Eucharistic Heart on earth.

Amen.

The Example of the Saints: Thanksgiving After Holy Communion

"The saints chose, when possible, to set no time limit on thanksgiving after Communion, which consequently might last for them at least half an hour. St. Teresa of Jesus told her daughters, 'Let us entertain ourselves lovingly with Jesus and not waste the hour that follows Communion. It is an excellent time to deal with God and put before Him the matters that concern our soul… As we know that the good Jesus remains within us until our natural warmth has dissolved the breadlike qualities, we should take great care not to lose so beautiful an opportunity to treat with Him and lay our needs before Him.' "

"Let us, also, resolve to do everything possible so that thanksgiving after Holy Communion last at least fifteen minutes and nothing take precedence over it. These minutes during which Jesus is physically present to our souls and within our bodies are heavenly minutes in no wise to be wasted."

"The Apostle, St. Paul wrote, "Glorify and bear God in your body" (1 Cor. 6:20). There is no time in which these words, taken literally, apply so well as during the time immediately after receiving Holy Communion. How insensitive, then, for someone to receive Communion and leave church at once as soon as Mass is over, or as soon as he has received Our Lord! We may remember the example of St. Philip Neri, who had two altar boys with lighted candles go to accompany a man who had left the church right after his Communion. What a beautiful lesson! For the sake of good manners, if for no other reason, when a person receives a guest he pauses to give his attention to him and takes interest in him. If this guest is Jesus, then we will only have reason to be sorry that His bodily presence within us scarcely lasts fifteen minutes or a little more. In view of this, St. Joseph Cottolengo personally used to oversee the baking of hosts for Mass and Communion. To the sister assigned to this he gave the following instruction: 'Make the hosts thick so that I can linger a long time with Jesus. I do not want the Sacred Species to be quickly consumed.' "

"Are we not perhaps acting contrary to the example of the saints when we regard our period of thanksgiving as too long and perhaps feel impatient to get it over with? But, oh how we should watch ourselves here! For if it is true that at every Communion Jesus 'gives us a hundredfold for the hospitality we show Him,' as St. Teresa of Jesus declares, then it is also true that we must answer a hundredfold for neglecting this hospitality. A confrere of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina told how one day he went to Confession to the holy friar, and, among other things, confessed to omitting his thanksgiving after Holy Mass because, he said, some ministry impeded him. While Padre Pio was lenient in judging the other faults, when he heard him confess this omission, his countenance became stern and he said firmly, 'Let us see to it that our being unable is not just being unwilling. I always have to make my thanksgiving; otherwise I pay dearly.' "

~ Fr. Stefano Manelli: excerpts from his book, Jesus Our Eucharistic Love ~

St. Thomas Aquinas: The Powerful Sacrament of the Body of the Lord

"The Sacrament of the Body of the Lord puts the demons to flight,

defends us against the incentives to vice and to concupiscence,

cleanses the soul from sin,

quiets the anger of God,

enlightens the understanding to know God,

inflames the will and the affections with the love of God,

fills the memory with spiritual sweetness,

confirms the entire man in good,

frees us from eternal death,

multiplies the merits of a good life,

leads us to our everlasting home,

and re-animates the body to eternal life,"

~ St. Thomas Aquinas ~

Prayer of Love and Offering to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament

“A God-Man present in this Sacrament for me!

What a comfort! What privilege to know that I kneel before God!

And to think that this God loves me!

Lovers of God, wherever you are, love Him for me too.

Mary, my Mother, help me to love Him.

And You, my lovable Lord, become the goal of my heart's desires.

Become the sole owner of my will.

Possess me completely.

I offer You my mind; may it think only of how good You are.

I offer You my body; may it always please You.

I offer You my soul; may it be Yours forever.

O divine Lover, I wish all men knew how tenderly You love each one of them.

Then surely they would worship You and live to please You, as You desire and deserve.

Let me at least live only to love You."

~ Author Unknown ~

St. John Chrysostom: Believe the Word of God!

"Let us submit to God in all things and not contradict Him, even if what He says seems contrary to our reason and intellect; rather let His words prevail over our reason and intellect. Let us act in this way with regard to the (eucharistic) mysteries, looking not only at what falls under our senses but holding on to His words. For His word cannot lead us astray. . . When the word says, `This is My Body', be convinced of it and believe it, and look at it with the eyes of the mind. . . How many now say, `I wish I could see His shape, His appearance, His garments, His sandals.' Only look! You see Him! You touch Him! You eat Him! He gives Himself to you, not only that you may see Him, but also to be your food and nourishment. "

~ St. John Chrysostom ~

St. Jean Vianney: "If we really loved the good God..."

"If we really loved the good God,
we should make it our joy and happiness
to come and spend a few moments to adore Him,
and ask Him for the grace of forgiveness;
and, we should regard those moments as the happiest of our lives."

~ St. Jean Vianney ~

Prayer in Reparation for Sin

Fr. Lou Guardiola: Nourished and Healed by the Blessed Sacrament

“Through Mary the cause of our joy you discover that

nowhere on earth are you more welcomed,

nowhere on earth are you more loved,

than by Jesus, living and truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament . . .

He is really there in Person waiting just for you.”

~ Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta ~

The Highest Catholic Chapel in the World

February 08, 2010
The Archbishop of Madrid blessed the newest chapel in the city this week. The chapel is on the 33rd floor of Madrid "Space Tower."

St. Ody of Cluny Stressed the Need for Worthy Reception of the Eucharist

The "devotion" to the Body and Blood of Christ which Odo in the face of a widespread neglect of them which he himself deeply deplored always cultivated with conviction deserves special mention. Odo was in fact firmly convinced of the Real Presence, under the Eucharistic species, of the Body and Blood of the Lord, by virtue of the conversion of the "substance" of the bread and the wine. He wrote: "God, Creator of all things, took the bread saying that this was his Body and that he would offer it for the world, and he distributed the wine, calling it his Blood"; now, "it is a law of nature that the change should come about in accordance with the Creator's command", and thus "nature immediately changes its usual condition: the bread instantly becomes flesh, and the wine becomes blood"; at the Lord's order, "the substance changes" (Odonis Abb. Cluniac. occupatio, ed. A. Swoboda, Leipzig 1900, p. 121). Unfortunately, our abbot notes, this "sacrosanct mystery of the Lord's Body, in whom the whole salvation of the world consists", (Collationes, XXVIII: PL 133, 572), is celebrated carelessly. "Priests", he warns, "who approach the altar unworthily, stain the bread, that is, the Body of Christ" (ibid., PL 133, 572-573). Only those who are spiritually united to Christ may worthily participate in his Eucharistic Body: should the contrary be the case, to eat his Flesh and to drink his Blood would not be beneficial but rather a condemnation (cf. ibid., XXX, PL 133, 575). All this invites us to believe the truth of the Lord's presence with new force and depth. The presence in our midst of the Creator, who gives himself into our hands and transforms us as he transforms the bread and the wine, thus transforms the world.

~ Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, September 2, 2009 ~

Jesus in the Eucharist Meets With Sacrilege, Indifference and Ingratitude

franciscanfriars June 19, 2009
Jesus allowed His Sacred Heart to be pierced so that we can be saved. But so often this greatest of gifts is met with Sacrilege, Indifference and Ingratitude. Listen as Father explains how great a tragedy this is and why we should love Our Lord ever more. Ave Maria!
To Download Audio go to http://airmaria.com?p=5356

St Jeanne Jugan: A Saint for Our Time

“Jesus is waiting for you in the chapel.

Go and find him when your strength and patience are giving out,

when you feel lonely and helpless.

Say to him: ‘You know well what is happening, my dear Jesus.

I have only you.Come to my aid...’

And then go your way.
And don’t worry about knowing how you are going to manage.

It is enough to have told our good Lord. He has an excellent memory.”

~ St. Jeanne Jugan, from Sayings of Jeanne Jugan ~

Watch With Me: Eucharistic Adoration Testimonies

Prayer in Adoration of the Holy Trinity

Pope St. Pius X: Holy Communion for Children

Fr. Anthony Brankin: Plucking the Crucifixion Out of Eternity

St. Tarcisius: Patron of Altar Servers

"Dear altar servers, St Tarcisius' testimony and this beautiful tradition teach us the deep love and great veneration that we must have for the Eucharist: it is a precious good, a treasure of incomparable value; it is the Bread of life, it is Jesus himself who becomes our nourishment, support and strength on our daily journey and on the open road that leads to eternal life; the Eucharist is the greatest gift that Jesus bequeathed to us."

"Serve Jesus present in the Eucharist generously. It is an important task that enables you to be particularly close to the Lord and to grow in true and profound friendship with him...Every time that you approach the altar, you have the good fortune to assist in God's great loving gesture as he continues to want to give himself to each one of us, to be close to us, to help us, to give us strength to live in the right way. With consecration, as you know, that little piece of bread becomes Christ's Body, that wine becomes Christ's Blood. You are lucky to be able to live this indescribable Mystery from close at hand! Do your task as altar servers with love, devotion and faithfulness; do not enter a church for the celebration with superficiality but rather, prepare yourselves inwardly for Holy Mass! Assisting your priests in service at the altar helps to make Jesus closer, so that people can understand, can realize better: he is here."

~ Pope Benedict XVI: Excerpts from General Audience 8/4/10 ~

~ From Eucharistic Adoration for Priests: Altar Boys and Vocations to the Priesthood ~

Fr. William Doyle: Eucharistic Quotes

"Do nothing without consulting Him in the Tabernacle. But then act fearlessly, if you see it is for His honour and glory, never minding what others may think or say. Above all, “cast your care upon the Lord and He shall sustain you”, (Psalm 54. 23). Peace and calm in your soul, prayer ever on your lips, and a big love in your heart for Him and His interests, will carry you very far."

“Real devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is only to be gained by hard, grinding work of dry adoration before the Hidden God. But such a treasure cannot be purchased at too great a cost, for once obtained, it makes of this life as near an approach to heaven as we can ever hope for”.

The Moment of Benediction:

"The priest turns and raises aloft the Sacred Host. In loving adoration, in reverent awe, the invisible angels fall prostrate. The bell tinkles softly, fragrant clouds of sweet-smelling incense ascend on high, and in the remotest corner of the vast church every head is bowed in adoration. It is a solemn moment, a moment when the silent streams of grace pour down upon our souls. God’s hands are lifted up to bless us; His sacred face is turned upon us, and He waits oh ! so eagerly for us to ask some favour that He may win our hearts by His generosity. Let us ask, then, confidently and show our trust in God’s great goodness by the boldness of our requests."

~ Fr. William Doyle: from Remembering Fr William Doyle SJ ~

St. Peter Julian Eymard: Hearing Mass by Meditation on the Passion

“Know, O Christian, that the Mass is the holiest act of Religion.

You cannot do anything to glorify God more

nor profit your soul more than devoutly assisting at It,

and assisting as often as possible.”

~ St. Peter Julian Eymard ~

St. Clare of Assisi : Eucharistic Adoration

."Gaze upon Him,

consider Him,

contemplate Him,

as you desire to imitate Him."

~ St. Clare of Assisi

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross: Spend Time With Our Eucharistic Lord

"To make room in our life for the Eucharistic Lord, so that He can change our life into His, is that asking too much?"

"The Lord is present in the tabernacle in his divinity and in his humanity. He is not present for his own sake but for ours: it is his delight to be with the 'children of men.' He knows, too, that, being what we are, we need his personal nearness. In consequence, every thoughtful and sensitive person will feel attracted and will be there as often and as long as possible. And the practice of the Church, which has instituted perpetual adoration, is just as clear."

~ St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross ~

St. Alphonsus Liguori: Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament

"Certainly amongst all devotions,

after that of receiving the Sacraments,

that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament holds the first place,

is the most pleasing to God,

and the most useful to ourselves.

Do not then, O devout soul, refuse to begin this devotion;

and forsaking the conversation of men,

dwell each day, from this time forward,

for at least half or quarter of an hour, in some church,

in the presence of Jesus Christ under the sacramental species.

Taste and see how sweet is the Lord."

~ St. Alphonsus Liguori ~

St. Jean Vianney: All Good Works Are Not Equal to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

"All the good works in the world

are not equal to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

because they are the works of men;

but the Mass is the work of God.

Martyrdom is nothing in comparison

for it is but the sacrifice of man to God;

but the Mass is the sacrifice of God for man."

~ St. Jean Vianney ~

St. Jean Vianney: Open Our Heart to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament

"When we go before the Blessed Sacrament, let us open our heart;

our good God will open His.

We shall go to Him; He will come to us;

the one to ask, the other to receive.

It will be like a breath from one to the other,"

~ St. Jean Vianney ~

St. Peter Julian Eymard: Reparation to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament

"Adore and visit Jesus, abandoned and forsaken
by men in His Sacrament of Love.
Man has time for everything
except for visits to His Lord and God,
WHO IS WAITING AND LONGING FOR US
in the Blessed Sacrament.
The streets and places of entertainment
are filled with people;
the House of God is deserted.
Men flee from it; they are afraid of it.
Ah! Poor Jesus!
Did you expect so much indifference
from those You have redeemed,
from Your friends, from Your children, from me?

Sympathize with Jesus Who is betrayed,
insulted, mocked, and crucified far more ignominiously
in His Sacrament of Love than He was
in the Garden of Olives, in Jerusalem, and on Calvary.
Those whom He has the most honored, loved,
and enriched with His gifts and graces
are the very ones who offend Him the most
by their indifference.

Offer up for this intention all that you have suffered
during the day or week
that Jesus may be loved and adored by all.
Because we ourselves are unable to atone for
so much wrong,
we unite ourselves
to the infinite merits of our Savior Jesus.
Receive His Divine Blood
as it mystically flows from His Holy Wounds,
and offer it to the Father
in perfect atonement for the sins of the world.

Take His sufferings
and His prayer on the Cross
and beg the Heavenly Father
for pardon and mercy for all.

Unite your reparation
to that of the most Blessed Virgin
at the foot of the Cross or the altar,
and from the love of Jesus for His Divine Mother
you will obtain everything."

~ St. Peter Julian Eymard ~

St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi: Daily Visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament

St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi (1566-1607) was a Carmelite nun from the age of seventeen. She recommended to busy people in the world to take time out each day for praying before the Holy Eucharist. "A friend,she wrote, "will visit a friend in the morning to wish him a good day, in the evening, a good night, taking also an opportunity to converse with him during the day. In like manner, make visits to Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, if your duties permit it. It is especially at the foot of the altar that one prays well. In all your visits to our Savior, frequently offer His Precious Blood to the Eternal Father. You will find these visits very conducive to increase in you divine love."

~ Excerpt from: The History of Eucharistic Adoration by John A. Hardon, S.J. ~

St. Alphonsus Liguori: Eucharistic Adoration Prayer

~ St. Alphonsus Liguori Prayer: from Visits to the Blessed Sacrament ~

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque: Prayer to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament

"In order to be like You, who are always alone in the Blessed Sacrament, I shall love solitude and try to converse with You as much as possible. Grant that my mind may not seek to know anything but You, that my heart may have no longings or desires but to love You. When I am obliged to take some comfort, I shall take care to see that it be pleasing to Your Heart. In my conversations, O divine Word, I shall consecrate all my words to You so that You will not permit me to pronounce a single one which is not for Your glory.... When I am thirsty, I shall endure it in honor of the thirst You endured for the salvation of souls.... If by chance, I commit some fault, I shall humble myself, and then take the opposite virtue from Your Heart, offering it to the eternal Father in expiation for my failure. All this I intend to do, O Eucharistic Jesus, to unite myself to You in every action of the day."

~ St. Margaret Mary Alacoque ~

Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: Favorite Devotion of the Saints

"Dear young people, the happiness you are seeking, the happiness you have a right to enjoy has a name and a face: it is Jesus of Nazareth, hidden in the Eucharist. Only he gives the fullness of life to humanity!" - Pope Benedict XVI

"Hear Mass daily; it will prosper the whole day. All your duties will be performed the better for it, and your soul will be stronger to bear its daily cross. The Mass is the most holy act of religion; you can do nothing that can give greater glory to God or be more profitable for your soul than to hear Mass both frequently and devoutly. It is the favorite devotion of the saints." - St. Peter Julian Eymard

"Everyday, Jesus humbles himself just as He did when He came from His heavenly throne into the Virgin's womb; everyday He comes to us and lets us see Him in abjection, when He descends from the bosom of the Father into the hands of the priest at the altar." - St. Francis of Assisi

"The Blessed Eucharist is the perfect Sacrament of the Lord's Passion, since It contains Christ Himself and his Passion." - St. Thomas Aquinas

"Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to heaven." - Pope Pius X

Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament

"The Sacrament of the Body of the Lord puts the demons to flight,

defends us against the incentives to vice and to concupiscence,

cleanses the soul from sin, quiets the anger of God,

enlightens the understanding to know God,

inflames the will and the affections with the love of God,

fills the memory with spiritual sweetness,

confirms the entire man in good,

frees us from eternal death,

multiplies the merits of a good life,

leads us to our everlasting home,

and re-animates the body to eternal life."

~ Saint Thomas Aquinas ~

St. Bonaventure: This Heart of Our Lord

"Lord Jesus Christ,

pierce my soul with Your love

so that I may always long for You alone,

who are the Bread of angels

and the fulfillment of the soul's deepest desires.

May my heart always hunger for you,

so that my soul may be filled with the sweetness of Your Presence."

~ Saint Bonaventure ~

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Inspired by a Young Chinese Martyr of the Eucharist

"..in China, a priest had just begun Mass when Communists entered and arrested him and made him a prisoner in a house adjoining the little church. From a window in that house he could see the tabernacle. Shortly after his imprisonment, the Communists opened the tabernacle, threw the Hosts on the floor and stole the Sacred Vessels. The priest then decided to make adoration to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament as much as he could day and night. About three o'clock one morning he saw a child who had been at the morning Mass open a window, climb in, come to the sanctuary floor, get down on both knees, press her tongue to the Host to give herself Holy Communion. The priest told me there were about thirty Hosts in the ciborium. Every single night she came at the same time until there was only one Host left. As she pressed her tongue to receive the Body of Christ, a shot rang out. A Communist soldier had seen her. It proved to be her Viaticum."

~ Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, from Treasure in Clay ~

St. Cyril of Alexandria: Gain Spiritual Strength from the Eucharist

"If the poison of pride is swelling up in you, turn to the Eucharist; and that Bread, which is your God humbling and disguising Himself, will teach you humility. If the fever of selfish greed rages in you, feed on this Bread; and you will learn generosity. If the cold wind of coveting withers you, hasten to the Bread of Angels; and charity will come to blossom in your heart. If you feel the itch of intemperance, nourish yourself with the Flesh and Blood of Christ, Who practiced self-control during His earthly life; and you will become temperate. If you are lazy and sluggish about spiritual things, strengthen yourself with this heavenly Food; and you will grow fervent. Lastly, if you feel scorched by the fever of impurity, go to the banquet of the Angels; and the spotless Flesh of Christ will make you pure and chaste."

~ St. Cyril of Alexandria ~

St. Marcellin Champagnat: Saints Ran to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament

"It is for us that, during eighteen hundred years, our divine Saviour has remained day and night on our altars, that we may have recourse to Him in all our needs; and nothing so much afflicts His divine Heart as our ingratitude for such a favor, and our neglect to visit Him and ask His blessing. If we knew how profitable those visits are, we should be constantly prostrate before the altar. The Saints understood this truth; they knew that Jesus Christ is the source of all grace, and whenever they encountered any difficulty or wished to obtain any particular favor, they ran to Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. St. Francis Xavier, St. Francis Regis and others spent whole hours during the day and, frequently, a great part of the night at the foot of the altar; it was in these long interviews with Jesus Christ that they advanced the good works they had in hand, converted sinners, and obtained success in all their undertakings for the glory of God and their own sanctification,"

~ St. Marcellin Champagnat (1789-1840) ~

The Happiness of Receiving Jesus in Holy Communion

"That same Jesus is with us in our churches who at His birth was laid on straw and adored by the Magi, who fled into Egypt, who was sought for by the Blessed Virgin and found in the Temple, who changed water into wine, who restored sight to the blind, made deaf to hear and the dumb to speak. Beloved Christian, you esteem Simeon happy in having been permitted to take the Infant Jesus in his arms; and were you to receive a grace like him, no doubt you would exclaim: 'Now dost Thou dismiss Thy servant in peace: because my eyes have seen Thy salvation.'

"You consider Zacheus happy because Our Lord vouchsafed to enter his house and eat with him; you deem St. John happy because he rested on the breast of our Saviour at the Last Supper; and, above all, you regard St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary so very happy because they nourished and supported Our Dear Lord. But are you not as happy as they? Are you not even happier? You do not hold Our Lord in your arms as Simeon did, but you receive Him into your heart in Holy Communion; you do not rest on the bosom of St. John, but the Saviour rests in your heart after Holy Communion; you do not nurse and support Our Lord like St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin, but you have a still greater happiness, for the Saviour Himself nourishes you and gives Himself to you as your food. O Love! O Love! O who can understand the love of God for men!"

~ From The Blessed Eucharist, by Fr. Michael Muller, C.S.S.R. ~

St. Thomas More: Appeal for Grace

"Give me the grace to long for Your holy sacraments,

and especially to rejoice in the presence of Your Body,

sweet Savior Christ, in the holy Sacrament of the altar."

~ St. Thomas More ~

St. Faustina: Strength and Light From the Eucharist

"I spend every free moment at the feet of the hidden God. He is my Master; I ask Him about everything; I speak to Him about everything. Here I obtain strength and light; here I learn everything; here I am given light on how to act toward my neighbor. From the time I left the novitiate, I have enclosed myself in the tabernacle together with Jesus, my Master. He himself drew me into the fire of living love on which everything converges."

~ From Divine Mercy In My Soul, The Diary of St. Mary Faustina Kowalski ~

Prayer to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

O most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus, You are concealed in the Holy Eucharist, and You beat for us still. Now as then You say, Desiderio desideravi—"With desire I have desired." I worship You then with all my best love and awe, with my fervent affection, with my most subdued, most resolved will. O my God, when You do condescend to allow me to receive You, to eat and drink You, and Thou for a while dost take up Your abode within me, O make my heart beat with Your Heart. Purify it of all that is earthly, all that is proud and sensual, all that is hard and cruel, of all perversity, of all disorder, of all deadness. So fill it with You that neither the events of the day nor the circumstances of the time may have power to ruffle it, but that in Your love and Thy fear it may have peace.

Fr. William Doyle: A Man of Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament

The Moment of Benediction:

"The priest turns and raises aloft the Sacred Host. In loving adoration, in reverent awe, the invisible angels fall prostrate. The bell tinkles softly, fragrant clouds of sweet-smelling incense ascend on high, and in the remotest corner of the vast church every head is bowed in adoration. It is a solemn moment, a moment when the silent streams of grace pour down upon our souls. God’s hands are lifted up to bless us; His sacred face is turned upon us, and He waits oh ! so eagerly for us to ask some favour that He may win our hearts by His generosity. Let us ask, then, confidently and show our trust in God’s great goodness by the boldness of our requests."

~ Fr. William Doyle, SJ ~

Above all, Fr Doyle was a man of prayer. He was one of the first people in Ireland to start the devotion of spending a holy hour in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. He regularly arose at night to pray, especially on Thursday nights in imitation of Christ in Gethsemane. He was of course a renowned spiritual director and retreat giver, and saw the importance of retreats for laity, a position that not all priests agreed with at the time.

~ All above content is from an admirable new blog: Remembering Fr William Doyle SJ ~

St. Faustina: Sustained by Holy Communion

"I find myself so weak that were it not for Holy Communion I would fall continually. One thing alone sustains me, and that is Holy Communion. From it I draw my strength; in it is all my comfort. I fear life on days when I do not receive Holy Communion. I fear my own self. Jesus concealed in the Host is everything to me. From the tabernacle I draw strength, power, courage and light. Here, I seek consolation in time of anguish. I would not know how to give glory to God if I did not have the Eucharist in my heart." (1037)

~ From Divine Mercy in My Soul, The Diary of St. M. Faustina Kowalska ~

St. Peter Julian Eymard: Imitate St. Joseph's Faith and Perfect Adoration

"We cannot help but marvel at the faith of Saint Joseph. Tormenting doubts harass his soul and he is on the point of leaving Mary. But an angel appears to him and all his doubts and fears vanish. On the angel's word He accepts the mystery of the Incarnation. In the ensuing years his faith was to be frequently put to the test. At Bethlehem he had to content himself with a stable for a home where the Incarnate Word might be born. Soon after, he was forced to flee in order to save the Infant God, and when later he returned to the tiny village of Nazareth it was to live there unknown and in dire poverty. All these trials only tempered his faith. Although he sees only the Child's wretchedness and poverty, his faith pierces the shroud and uncovers the hidden God within this weak baby frame. Because his faith was so strong, Joseph's mind and heart bowed in perfect adoration. Imitate his faith as you kneel before the humble Christ annihilated in the Eucharist. Pierce the veil which covers this furnace of love and adore the hidden God. At the same time respect the veil of love and make the immolation of your mind and heart your most beautiful homage of faith."

~ St. Peter Julian Eymard ~

Prayer to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

PRAYER TO THE EUCHARISTIC HEART OF JESUS

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus,

gracious companion of our exile,

I adore Thee.

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus,
lonely Heart,
humiliated Heart,
abandoned Heart,
forgotten Heart,
despised Heart,
outraged Heart,
Heart ignored by men,
Heart which loves our own hearts;
Heart pleading for our love,
Heart so patient in waiting for us,
Heart so eager to listen to our prayers,
Heart so anxious for our requests,
Heart, unending source of new graces,
Heart so silent, yet desiring to speak to souls,
Heart, welcome refuge of the hidden life,
Heart, teacher of the secrets of union with God,
Heart of Him Who sleeps but watches always,
Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Jesus Victim, I desire to comfort Thee;
I unite myself to Thee;
I offer myself in union with Thee.

I regard myself as nothing in Thy Presence.

I long to forget myself in order to think only of Thee,

to be despised and forgotten for love of Thee.

I have no desire to be understood or loved by anyone but Thee.

I will keep silent in order to listen to Thee,

and I will abandon myself in order to lose myself in Thee.

Grant that I may thus satisfy Thy thirst for my salvation,

Thy burning thirst for my holiness,
and that once purified I may give Thee a sincere and pure love.

I am anxious not to tire Thee further with waiting:

take me, I hand myself over to Thee.

I give Thee all my actions,

my mind to be enlightened,

my heart to be directed,

my will to be stabilized,

my wretchedness to be relieved,

my soul and body to be nourished by Thee.

Eucharistic Heart of my Saviour,

Whose Blood is the life of my soul,

may I myself cease to live
and Thou alone live in me. Amen.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.
I love you above all things, and I long for you in my soul.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.
As though you have already come, I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you;
never permit me to be separated from you.

Msgr. Charles Pope: Worthy Reception of Holy Communion

Blessed Dina Belanger: Drawn to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

"The Eucharistic Heart in the Host draws me more and more.

If I merely pass near the chapel, I feel an irresistible force inviting me in.

Close to the tabernacle, I experience an indefinable joy.
When the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, I feel totally taken over, paralyzed, by this gentle Eucharistic Heart.

When I leave the chapel, I have to tear myself away from the divine Prisoner.

Yet, I never cease to live in Him;

all this takes place in the Heart of the Most Blessed Trinity, an immense distance from the earth;

but Jesus wants me to enjoy Him in his Eucharist and to grieve when I am far from his consecrated Host."

~ Blessed Dina Belanger ~

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: Love and Reparation

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Thee I consecrate and offer up my person and my life, my actions, trials, and sufferings, that my entire being may henceforth only be employed in loving, honoring and glorifying Thee. This is my irrevocable will, to belong entirely to Thee, and to do all for Thy love, renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease Thee.

I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and insconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness. Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee. Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee.

I beseech Thee, through Thine infinite Goodness, grant that my name be engraved upon Thy Heart, for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants. Amen.

~ St. Margaret Mary Alacoque ~

St. Francis de Sales: When You Have Received Jesus in Holy Communion

"When you have received Him,

stir up your heart to do Him homage;

speak to Him about your spiritual life,

gazing upon Him in your soul where He is present for your happiness;

welcome Him as warmly as possible,

and behave outwardly in such a way

that your actions may give proof to all of His Presence."

~ St. Francis de Sales ~