Ask for the Gift of Adoration

The practice of adoration is not difficult.
It is a gentle abiding in My presence,
a resting in the radiance of My Eucharistic Face,
a closeness to My Eucharistic Heart.

Words, though sometimes helpful, are not necessary,
nor are thoughts.
What I seek from one who would adore Me in spirit and in truth
is a heart aflame with love,
a heart content to abide in my presence,
silent and still,
engaged only in the act of loving Me
and of receiving My love.

Though this is not difficult,
it is, all the same,
my own gift
to the soul who asks for it.

Ask, then, for the gift of adoration.

~ Excerpt from Vultus Christi blog ~

Fr. Robert Barron: The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist

"When the priest effects the Eucharistic change...he's not speaking his own puny words, but rather at the consecration the priest speaks in persona Christi, in the very person of Christ...He speaks with the full authority of Christ which is why his words have the power to change the elements...that's why for Catholics the only proper response when you're in the presence of those transformed elements is to bow down and worship."

~ Fr. Robert Barron ~

Visit to Our Lady After Holy Communion

Mother, upon my lips today,

Christ's Precious Blood was laid;

That Blood which centuries ago,

Was for my ransom paid.

And half in love, and half in fear

I seek for aid from thee,

Lest what I worship, wrapt in awe,

Should be profaned by me.

Wilt thou vouchsafe, as Portress dear,

To guard those lips today?

Lessen my words of idle worth

And govern all I say.

Keep back the sharp and quick retort

That rise so easily;

Soften my speech with gentle art,

To sweetest charity.

Check thou the laugh or careless jest,

That others harsh may find;

Teach me the thoughtful words of love,

That soothe the anxious mind.

Put far from me all proud replies,

And each deceitful tone,

So that my words at length may be

Faint echoes of thine own.

Oh Mother, thou art mine today,

By more than double right:

A soul where Christ reposed must be

Most precious in thy sight.

And thou canst hardly think of me

From thy dear Son apart;

Then give me from myself and sin,

A refuge in thy heart.

~ From an old prayer card ~

Capuchin Franciscans: A Public Invitation to Kneel Before Jesus in the Eucharist

A Eucharistic flash mob in the centre of Preston, organised by the Capuchin Franciscans on Ascension Thursday 2011.

Lack of Love and Indifference Toward Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament

"Is Jesus well-loved in Heaven?

"In Heaven they love Him very much, there He is compensated. But Jesus wants more than that. He wants to be loved on earth, on that earth where He annihilates Himself in every Tabernacle, in order to be approached more easily and yet He is refused. People pass before a church with more indifference than they would before any public monument. If by chance, they go into the holy place, it is only to insult still more the Divine Captive who dwells there, namely, by their coldness and their irreverence. Their prayers are said hurriedly and without attention, instead of speaking to Him from their hearts and saying words of friendship and gratitude for all His favors to them.

"Tell Father P— that God expects from him this love which He so rarely meets with. He expects it from him who comes each day so close to Jesus, whom he receives into his heart. Oh, tell him that in those blessed moments he may repair by his tender love the indifference of so many ungrateful souls. His heart must melt with love before Jesus in the Host and intercede for those priests who enjoy the same privilege that he does, yet treat the sacred mysteries with a frozen heart which remains as cold as marble to Jesus. Every day let his union with God become closer, in order to prepare himself worthily for the great graces which Jesus has in store for him.

"I have told you there are some souls who do their Purgatory at the foot of the altar. They are not there for faults they have committed in church, because those faults which attack Jesus directly, Jesus present in the Tabernacle, are punished with terrible severity in Purgatory. The souls that are there in adoration are there as a reward for their reverent behavior in the Sacred Presence. They suffer less than if they were in Purgatory itself, and Jesus, whom they contemplate with the eyes of their soul and of faith, softens their pains by His invisible Presence."

~ Sr. M.G., a nun soul from Purgatory; excerpt from An Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory ~ 

~ Related posts from Grateful for Purgatory blog ~ 

Saint Faustina: Prayer of Adoration and Consolation to Jesus in the Eucharist

O Jesus, Divine Prisoner of Love, when I consider Your love and how You emptied Yourself for me, my senses fail me. You hide Your inconceivable majesty and lower Yourself to miserable me. O King of Glory, though You hide Your beauty, yet the eye of my soul rends the veil. I see the angelic choirs giving You honor without cease, and all the heavenly Powers praising You without cease, and without cease they are saying: Holy, Holy, Holy.

Oh, who will comprehend Your love and Your unfathomable mercy toward us! O Prisoner of Love, I lock up my poor heart in this tabernacle, that it may adore You without cease night and day. I know of no obstacle in this adoration, and even though I be physically distant, my heart is always with You. Nothing can put a stop to my love for You. No obstacles exist for me. O my Jesus, I will console You for all the ingratitude, the blasphemies, the coldness, the hatred of the wicked, the sacrileges. O Jesus, I want to burn as a pure offering and to be consumed before the throne of Your hiddenness. I plead with You unceasingly for poor dying sinners.

~ St. Faustina; excerpt 80 from The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska ~

Prayer to Jesus Abandoned in the Most Blessed Sacrament

To Jesus Abandoned

With Mary Immaculate

let us adore, thank, implore and console,

the Most Beloved and Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

O Divine Jesus, lonely tonight in so many Tabernacles,

without visitor or worshiper,

I offer Thee my poor heart.

May its every throb be an act of love for Thee.

Thou art always watching beneath the Sacramental Veils;

in Thy Love Thou dost never sleep

and Thou art never weary of Thy vigil for sinners.

O lonely Jesus,

may the flame of my heart burn and beam always in company with Thee.

(From Holy Hour of Reparation prayer book)

St. Jose Maria Rubio, S.J.: Making an Effort to Adore God in the Sacred Host

"Are you truly making an effort to adore God? In this Sacred Host lies the whole of His omnipotence, all His wisdom, the perfect goodness of Jesus Christ, since therein rests His living heart as it is also in heaven. When we adore in this way, we adore in spirit and in truth.

"But after we have adored, the heart must be open to the other sentiments; for you well know that we are taught a diversity of forms of adoration in the Gospels; and we express them sometimes by profound acts of bodily reverence, sometimes by silence of the mind. From time to time, we also link with this type of adoration, tears, groans, and sighs; or words, expressions of interior feelings, prayers accompany the same. All these forms of adoration before Jesus hidden in the sacrament are so powerful that there are times when the spirit can do nothing better than bow low in Jesus' presence.

"Someone asks me: "What am I to do if I can think of nothing to say?" It is enough if you show reverence and hope. "But I am unable to say anything." I ask you not to be sad on that account; the very silence suffices. However great your experience of a heart which is dried up and empty, and for all that you may be very aware of its trials and confusion, fear not; continue your act of adoration; for that is enough, and it is to be considered a splendid deed in God's eyes. If subsequently, however, a thankful feeling of the soul towards God is aroused, if you desire to endure some greater sacrifices for His sake, foster those sentiments which the Holy Spirit is arousing in you, and offer them as a bouquet in Jesus presence. And would that this were the chief and daily form of our prayer."  (Source)

Blessed John Paul II and the Eucharist

"You who are really present in the Blessed Sacrament,

spread Your blessings abundantly on Your people."

~ Blessed John Paul II ~

Pope Pius XII: Consecrated Hands of Priests

“In the same way, actually that baptism is the distinctive mark of all Christians, and serves to differentiate them from those who have not been cleansed in this purifying stream and consequently are not members of Christ, the sacrament of holy orders sets the priest apart from the rest of the faithful who have not received this consecration. For they alone, in answer to an inward supernatural call, have entered the august ministry, where they are assigned to service in the sanctuary and become, as it were, the instruments God uses to communicate supernatural life from on high to the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. Add to this, as We have noted above, the fact that they alone have been marked with the indelible sign ‘conforming’ them to Christ the Priest, and that their hands alone have been consecrated ‘in order that whatever they bless may be blessed, whatever they consecrate may become sacred and holy, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.'  (Roman Pontifical, Ordination of a priest: anointing of hands.)  Let all, then, who would live in Christ flock to their priests. By them they will be supplied with the comforts and food of the spiritual life. From them they will procure the medicine of salvation assuring their cure and happy recovery from the fatal sickness of their sins. The priest, finally, will bless their homes, consecrate their families and help them, as they breathe their last, across the threshold of eternal happiness."

~ Pope Pius XII; excerpt from Mediator Dei, #43

~ Related post:  The Beautiful Hands of a Priest ~

The Doctrine of Transubstantiation: Is Jesus Really Present in the Eucharist?

Jesus first repeated what he said, then summarized: "‘I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.’ The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’" (John 6:51–52).

His listeners were stupefied because now they understood Jesus literally—and correctly. He again repeated his words, but with even greater emphasis, and introduced the statement about drinking his blood: "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 food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him" (John 6:53–56).

Notice that Jesus made no attempt to soften what he said, no attempt to correct "misunderstandings," for there were none. Our Lord’s listeners understood him perfectly well. They no longer thought he was speaking metaphorically. If they had, if they mistook what he said, why no correction?

On other occasions when there was confusion, Christ explained just what he meant (cf. Matt. 16:5–12). Here, where any misunderstanding would be fatal, there was no effort by Jesus to correct. Instead, he repeated himself for greater emphasis.

~ Catholic Answers; excerpt from Christ in the Eucharist ~ 

Pope Benedict XVI: Do We Really Desire Union With Jesus in the Eucharist?

“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Lk 22:15). With these words Jesus began the celebration of his final meal and the institution of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus approached that hour with eager desire. In his heart he awaited the moment when he would give himself to his own under the appearance of bread and wine. He awaited that moment which would in some sense be the true messianic wedding feast: when he would transform the gifts of this world and become one with his own, so as to transform them and thus inaugurate the transformation of the world. In this eager desire of Jesus we can recognize the desire of God himself – his expectant love for mankind, for his creation. A love which awaits the moment of union, a love which wants to draw mankind to itself and thereby fulfil the desire of all creation, for creation eagerly awaits the revelation of the children of God (cf. Rom 8:19).

"Jesus desires us, he awaits us. But what about ourselves? Do we really desire him? Are we anxious to meet him? Do we desire to encounter him, to become one with him, to receive the gifts he offers us in the Holy Eucharist? Or are we indifferent, distracted, busy about other things? From Jesus’ banquet parables we realize that he knows all about empty places at table, invitations refused, lack of interest in him and his closeness. For us, the empty places at the table of the Lord’s wedding feast, whether excusable or not, are no longer a parable but a reality, in those very countries to which he had revealed his closeness in a special way. Jesus also knew about guests who come to the banquet without being robed in the wedding garment – they come not to rejoice in his presence but merely out of habit, since their hearts are elsewhere. In one of his homilies Saint Gregory the Great asks: Who are these people who enter without the wedding garment? What is this garment and how does one acquire it? He replies that those who are invited and enter do in some way have faith. It is faith which opens the door to them. But they lack the wedding garment of love. Those who do not live their faith as love are not ready for the banquet and are cast out. Eucharistic communion requires faith, but faith requires love; otherwise, even as faith, it is dead."

~ Pope Benedict XVI; excerpt from Holy Thursday Homily on April 21, 2011 ~

Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa: Our Lord Pleads for Eucharistic Reparation

Our Lord pleads for Eucharistic Reparation. An excerpt from the full-length documentary on Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2004 and has been proposed by the universal church as a patron for the youth. Blessed Alexandrina's great love of Our Lord's Real Presence in the Eucharist is very relevant for today.

Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa jumped from a window in her home so as to protect her purity from three attackers. It was the result of this fall that saw her eventually bedridden for life and her incredible mission of offering her life of suffering as a Victim Soul.

Taken from the full length documentary on the life of Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa produced by Mary's Dowry Productions, this excerpt shows the incredible phenomenon of the Cross that mysteriously appeared at Balasar. Many hundreds of people have taken earth from this Cross over the years but it still remains and defies all attempts to erradicate it. Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa's life and mission was linked closely to this phenomenon.

This is a trailer for a 56 minute documentary on the life and message of Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa who is also known in Portugal as the Fourth Seer of Fatima. This film has been produced by Mary's Dowry Productions to promote the life and message of this Blessed, closely linked to the message of Fatima, strong advocate of the First Saturday devotions and Fatima message. A victim soul, she suffered mystically the Passion of Christ every Friday although paralized from the age of 14 having jumped from a high window to escape intruders and protect her purity. More information at http://www.marysdowryproductions.org/

~ Related post on Blessed Alexandrina da Costa ~

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith: Time to Abandon Communion in the Hand

"...speaking of communion in the hand, it must be recognized that the practice was improperly and quickly introduced in some quarters of the Church shortly after the Council, changing the age-old practice and becoming regular practice for the whole Church. They justified the change saying that it better reflected the Gospel or the ancient practice of the Church... Some, to justify this practice referred to the words of Jesus: "Take and eat" (Mk 14, 22; Mt 26, 26).

"Whatever the reasons for this practice, we cannot ignore what is happening worldwide where this practice has been implemented. This gesture has contributed to a gradual weakening of the attitude of reverence towards the sacred Eucharistic species whereas the previous practice had better safeguarded that sense of reverence. There instead arose an alarming lack of recollection and a general spirit of carelessness. We see communicants who often return to their seats as if nothing extraordinary has happened... In many cases, one cannot discern that sense of seriousness and inner silence that must signal the presence of God in the soul."

"Now I think it is high time...to abandon the current practice that was not called for by Sacrosanctum Concilium, nor by Fathers, but was only accepted after its illegitimate introduction in some countries. Now, more than ever, we must help the faithful to renew a deep faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic species in order to strengthen the life of the Church and defend it in the midst of dangerous distortions of the faith that this situation continues to cause."

~ Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith, excerpt from here ~

 

Pane di Vita Nuova: Bread of Life

Pane di vita nuova Vero cibo dato agli uomini,

Nutrimento che sostiene il mondo,

Dono splendido di grazia.

Tu sei sublime frutto Di quell'albero di vita Che adamo non potè toccare:

Ora è in cristo a noi donato.

 Pane della vita,

Sangue di salvezza,

Vero corpo,

vera bevanda
Cibo di grazia per il mondo.

Bread of Life, new true food given to men,

nourishment that sustains the world,

 splendid gift of grace.

You are sublime fruit of the tree of life that Adam could not touch:

It is now given to us in Christ.

Bread of Life,

Blood of salvation,

 true Body,

 true drink,
Food of grace for the world.

 

Corpus Christi: "O Sacrum Convivium" (O Sacred Banquet)

Eucharistic procession from Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral, with background music sung by the Daughters of St. Paul ("O Sacrum Convivium," from the album "Adoration").

Translation of Latin hymn follows.

O Sacred Banquet,

in which Christ is consumed,

the memory of his passion is recalled,

the mind is filled with grace,

and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

Alleluia!

(Antiphon to the Magnificat, Liturgy of the Hours, Evening Prayer II of the Feast of the Body and Blood of the Lord.)

Pope John Paul II: Importance of Reverence for the Blessed Sacrament

"Every act of reverence,

every genuflection that you make before the Blessed Sacrament is important

because it is an act of faith in Christ,

and act of love for Christ.

And every sign of the cross and gesture of respect made each time you pass a church

is also an act of faith."

~ Pope John Paul II, Sept. 29, 1979 ~ 

Pope John Paul II: Love, Adore, and Celebrate the Eucharist

"Set the Eucharist at the center of your personal life and community life:

love the Eucharist, adore the Eucharist, and celebrate the Eucharist."

~ Pope John Paul II on the occasion of World Youth Day, Rome, 2000 ~

Our Lady of Akita, Japan: Eucharistic Prayer of the Handmaids of the Eucharist

"In order that the world might know His anger, the Heavenly Father is preparing to inflict a great chastisement on all mankind. With my Son I have intervened so many times to appease the wrath of the Father. I have prevented the coming calamities by offering Him the sufferings of the Son on the Cross, His Precious Blood, and beloved souls who console Him forming a legion of victim souls. Prayer, penance and courageous sacrifices can soften the Father’s anger. I desire this also from your community. That it love poverty, that it sanctify itself and pray in reparation for the ingratitude and outrages of so many men. Recite the prayer of the Handmaids of the Eucharist with awareness of its meaning; put it into practice; offer in reparation (whatever God may send) for sins. Let each one endeavor, according to capacity and position, to offer herself entirely to the Lord."

~ Our Lady of Akita to Sr. Agnes ~

PRAYER OF THE HANDMAIDS OF THE EUCHARIST

"Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, truly present in the Holy Eucharist,

I consecrate my body and soul to be entirely one with Your Heart,

being sacrificed at every instant on all the altars of the world and giving praise to the Father,
pleading for the coming of His Kingdom.

Please receive this humble offering of myself.

Use me as You will for the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls.

Most Holy Mother of God, never let me be separated from your Divine Son.

Please defend and protect me as your special child.

Amen."

Lamb of God

"You will never know God's will in your life unless you're a man or woman of prayer...

...the first best place to listen to God in prayer is in front of the Blessed Sacrament...

...if you can stop every day and give time to God in front of the Blessed Sacrament, your life will change."

~ Fr. Larry Richards ~

The Pain of Jesus When Souls Are Indifferent About Receiving Holy Communion

"Oh, how painful it is to Me that souls so seldom unite themselves to Me in Holy Communion. I wait for souls, and they are indifferent toward Me. I love them tenderly and sincerely, and they distrust Me. I want to lavish My graces on them, and they do not want to accept them. They treat Me as a dead object, whereas My Heart is full of love and mercy. In order that you may know at least some of My pain, imagine the most tender of mothers who has great love for her children, while those children spurn her love. Consider her pain. No one is in a position to console her. This is but a feeble image and likeness of My love."

~ Jesus to Saint Faustina; excerpt 1447 from  The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska ~

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) and Fr. Robert Barron Comment on Eucharistic Adoration

"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 ~

Pope John Paul II: Eucharistic Adoration--Fulfilling an Eminent Service

"It is invaluable to converse with Christ, and leaning against Jesus' breast like his beloved disciple, we can feel the infinite love of His Heart. We learn to know more deeply the One who gave Himself totally, in the different mysteries of His divine and human life, so that we may become disciples and in turn enter into this great act of giving, for the glory of God and the salvation of the world. Through adoration, the Christian mysteriously contributes to the radical transformation of the world and to the sowing of the Gospel. Anyone who prays to the Savior draws the whole world with him and raises it to God. Those who stand before the Lord are therefore fulfilling an eminent service. They are presenting to Christ all those who do not know him or are far from him; they keep watch in His Presence on their behalf."

~  Pope John Paul II, 1996 ~

Graces From Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament for Those Who Ask

"Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament has His hands full of graces,

and He is ready to bestow them on anyone who asks for them."

~ St. Peter of Alcantara ~

Pope John Paul II: Mary, Model of Eucharistic Faith and Love

"In a certain sense Mary lived her Eucharistic faith even before the institution of the Eucharist, by the very fact that she offered her virginal womb for the Incarnation of God's Word. The Eucharist, while commemorating the passion and resurrection, is also in continuity with the incarnation. At the Annunciation Mary conceived the Son of God in the physical reality of his body and blood, thus anticipating within herself what to some degree happens sacramentally in every believer who receives, under the signs of bread and wine, the Lord's body and blood.

 

"As a result, there is a profound analogy between the Fiat which Mary said in reply to the angel, and the Amen which every believer says when receiving the body of the Lord. Mary was asked to believe that the One whom she conceived “through the Holy Spirit” was “the Son of God” (Lk 1:30-35). In continuity with the Virgin's faith, in the Eucharistic mystery we are asked to believe that the same Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary, becomes present in his full humanity and divinity under the signs of bread and wine.

“Blessed is she who believed” (Lk 1:45). Mary also anticipated, in the mystery of the incarnation, the Church's Eucharistic faith. When, at the Visitation, she bore in her womb the Word made flesh, she became in some way a “tabernacle” – the first “tabernacle” in history – in which the Son of God, still invisible to our human gaze, allowed himself to be adored by Elizabeth, radiating his light as it were through the eyes and the voice of Mary. And is not the enraptured gaze of Mary as she contemplated the face of the newborn Christ and cradled him in her arms that unparalleled model of love which should inspire us every time we receive Eucharistic communion?"

~ Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistica ~ 

Rethinking Communion in the Hand Should Be a Priority in the Church

"With Communion in the hand, a miracle would be required during each distribution of Communion to avoid some Particles from falling to the ground or remaining in the hand of the faithful. Let us speak clearly: whoever receives Communion in the mouth not only follows exactly the tradition handed down but also the wish expressed by the last Popes and thus avoids placing himself in the occasion of committing a sin by negligently dropping a fragment of the Body of Christ."

~ Bishop Juan Rodolfo Laise, San Luis, Argentina, 1997 ~
from Communion-in-the-hand.org

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta: A Reflection on Jesus

This is Jesus to me:

Jesus is the Word made flesh

Jesus is the Bread of Life

Jesus is the Victim offered for our sins on the Cross,

The Sacrifice offered at the Holy Mass,

for the sins of the world and mine.

Jesus is the Word-to be spoken

Jesus is the Truth-to be told

Jesus is the Way-to be walked

the Light-to be lit

the Life-to be lived.

Jesus is the Love-to be loved

Jesus is the Joy-to be shared

Jesus is the Sacrifice-to be offered,

The Peace-to be given,

The Bread of Life.

Jesus is the Hungry-to be fed

Jesus is the Thirsty-to be satiated

Jesus is the Naked-to be clothed

The Homeless-to be taken in

The Sick-to be healed.

Jesus is the Lonely-to be loved,

The Unwanted-to be wanted

The Leper-to wash his wounds

The Beggar-to give him a smile

The Drunkard-to listen to him

The Mental-to protect him

The Little One-to embrace him

The Blind-to lead him

The Dumb-to speak for him

The Crippled-to walk with him

The Drug addict-to befriend him

The Prostitute-to remove from danger and befriend her

Jesus is the Prisoner-to be visited

The Old-to be served.

To me Jesus is my God

Jesus is my Spouse

Jesus is my Life

Jesus is my only Love

Jesus is my All in all

Jesus is my Everything!

~ Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta ~

St. Teresa of Avila and Cardinal Arinze: Personal Prayer From the Heart

"Vocal prayer . . . must be accompanied by reflection. A prayer in which a person is not aware of Whom he is speaking to, what he is asking, who it is who is asking and of Whom, I don't call prayer-----however much the lips may move."

"Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us."

~ St. Teresa of Avila ~

Purity Needed for Those Who Receive the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus

"Oh, if we could only understand Who is that God

Whom we receive in Holy Communion,

then what purity of heart we would bring to Him!"

~ St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi  ~

St. John Bosco: The Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin Protect the World

"Were it not for the Blessed Virgin and the Blessed Sacrament, the world would now be in ruins. Those who want to work in the light - that is, along the way to heaven – must draw closer to these two sources of light, or at least one of them. Those who walk away from them move in darkness and in the shadow of death."

"Trust all things to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary Help of Christians and you will see what miracles are."

~ St. John Bosco ~

~ St. John Bosco:  Related post ~

Cardinal Arinze: Eucharistic Faith and Reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament

"Our behaviour should show our faith. 

If we talk in the church as if we were in a football field, then...

we'd begin to doubt whether that person really believes."

~ Cardinal Arinze ~

Pope John Paul II: Kneel Before Jesus in the Eucharist to Make Reparation

"Let us take the time to kneel before Jesus present in the Eucharist,

in order to make reparation by our faith and love for the acts of carelessness and neglect,

and even the insults which our Saviour must endure in many parts of the world."

~ Pope John Paul II ~

Confession Before Holy Communion? Is No One Guilty of Mortal Sin Anymore?

When is the last time you heard a homily instructing the faithful about mortal sin?  I can't remember when I heard one.  CLEAR instruction on mortal sin is needed in our churches and Catholic schools!  No wonder almost every Catholic in the pews presents themselves before the Lord to receive Him in Holy Communion, and yet very few Catholics go to a priest for sacramental Confession!  How many Catholics might be leading seriously sinful lives and yet think they are good Catholics and don't hesitate to receive Holy Communion? 

From a reader in response to this post:

"A priest once told me that all sins of those present at mass are automatically forgiven at the time of uttering the words LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY SINS OF THE WORLD, HAVE MERCY ON ME. And he said all present should then receive Holy communion without confession."

Answer:  The Catholic Church is very clear that sacramental Confession is not REQUIRED before receiving Holy Communion if a person is NOT guilty of any mortal sins.  However, if a person IS guilty of mortal sin they MUST confess their sins to a priest in the sacrament of Confession/Penance and receive absolution before receiving Holy Communion. 

 The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
1457

According to the Church's command, "after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year."56 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.57 Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.58

1458

Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.59 Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful:60

~ Excerpt from Catechism of the Catholic Church ~

~ Catechism of the Catholic Church: Article 8 on Sin ~

Cardinal Raymond Burke: Holy Communion Kneeling and on the Tongue

 "The Holy Father is giving a very clear lesson by his own insistence that the faithful receive Communion kneeling and on the tongue. He's teaching us something. This is a decision which he obviously made with much thought and for good reasons, and so to me it's the case to teach the faithful once again about due reverence on receiving Holy Communion and to encourage them to consider a return to that traditional form of Communion kneeling and receiving Holy Communion on the tongue."

~ Cardinal Raymond Burke ~

Pope John Paul II: The Word Became Flesh and is Present Today in the Eucharist

"This is the wonderful truth, my dear friends:

the Word, which became flesh two thousand years ago,

is present today in the Eucharist."

~  Pope John Paul II ~

Too late for Christmas, but a beautiful meditation on the Word made flesh Who still dwells among us.

Blessed 2011!

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: This Bread of Angels

St. Alphonsus Liguori: A Prayer for Eucharistic Adoration