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 ~