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 ~

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. 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 ~