ELISHEBA BLOGLaura, Ivonne, and Rick
write about their lives in the Eucharist. |
ELISHEBA BLOGLaura, Ivonne, and Rick
write about their lives in the Eucharist. |
By: Ivonne J. Hernandez “What has God been doing this past month?” – This is how my Spiritual Director opens our time together each month. The first time he asked me that, I literally felt a shift in my mind. I had made a list in my mind of things I wanted to discuss, but none of those would answer that question. I realized that my mind had been occupied with things that I was struggling with; I was paying more attention to the things that I had been doing, and to things the devil had been doing, than to God himself. I began to ask myself this question often, sometimes more than once a day. What I discovered was that the more I sought, the more I saw.
And what did I see? What do I see? I see that every time I struggle with something, it is an opportunity God is giving me to set me free. That every time I allow (fill in the blank) to take away my peace, to gain access to my mind and heart, God is right there showing me that I am free to choose Him instead. That when I hold to the things that eternally endure, I am holding on to Him. And, when I am holding on to Him, there is nothing I shall want, nothing I shall fear. (Ps 23) “For you have given your children a sacred time for the renewing and purifying of their hearts, that, freed from disordered affections, they may so deal with the things of this passing world as to hold rather to the things that eternally endure.” (Preface II of Lent) “My tears have been my bread day and night, as they ask me every day, ‘Where is your God?’” (Ps 42:4). This process of renewing and purifying of our hearts is not painless, but it is a good kind of pain. It is like when a tight muscle gets massaged by a skilled therapist…it hurts, but in a way that leads to healing, not to brokenness. God is the same today as He was yesterday, and He is loving us through every circumstance. His love and mercy are everlasting, and that is where we place our trust. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil 4:8). When the world clamors for your attention, and the enemy thinks he’s winning, just look up and see the one who is beholding you and ask yourself: What has God been doing? “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Is 43:19)
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By: Rick Hernandez “…any superior to whom God has given authority over you, stands in the place of God: ‘Whoever listens to you listens to me’ (cf. Lk 10:16). Whenever you perform any deed out of obedience, you are fulfilling God’s will. Direct your obedience to God himself, who is listening. Since you cannot see him, you act out of faith in the authority he has given, which makes your obedience meritorious. Your obedience is not merely to the person who commands, who is nothing more than an instrument, but to the very authority this person wields.” - St. Peter Julian Eymard
Once a cherub of God, Lucifer, the “bearer of light,” was himself “the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12). More perfect than any other created being, Lucifer thought himself wiser than all, and that pride corrupted his wisdom (Ezekiel 28:17). From that corruption, Lucifer rebelled against God, his creator, and the one that had his best interest at heart. Lucifer was disobedient to God, thus becoming Satan (a name that means “Adversary”), and this disobedience cost him Heaven. “Pride is the commencement of all sin… and the beginning of pride is when a man departs from God.” (Saint Augustine’s commentary on Ecclesiastes 12). How often do we think that we “know better” when figures of authority (bosses, leaders, parents, priests) tell us to do something? Or when we receive advice? Or when we are admonished? As with Lucifer, we think we know better, but really, how often do we end up with peace from our own machinations and planning? Yet, our worldly wisdom feeds our pride, and our pride feeds our rebelliousness. But God is not asking us for rebelliousness; he is asking us for faithfulness and obedience… “Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you and will have to give an account, that they may fulfill their task with joy and not with sorrow, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17). Our leaders are to be just, for they are responsible for us. We have to pray for an increase in humility so that as we grow in wisdom, we can also fend off the arrogance of pride and be good, faithful followers. When we do this, we surrender to our Lord’s Divine Will and His perfect plan for our good. “The more we see that any action springs not from the motive of obedience, the more evident is it that it is a temptation of the enemy; for when God sends an inspiration, the very first effect of it is to infuse a spirit of docility.” - Teresa of Avila Today, as the world is embroiled with the coronavirus pandemic, our leaders, both lay and Ecclesial, ask us to make sacrifices and let go of most of our comforts for the good of the whole. We may be tempted to criticize and vent our frustrations instead of lifting up our brethren through our actions and words. Let’s take a little time today to look inwards towards our intentions and identify our prideful and selfish matters. Let’s pray that we can, with the help of God, remove those imperfections. As Saint Teresa of Avila said, let’s pray for humility and docility. Let’s also pray for our Church, our laypeople, our brothers and sisters in Holy Orders, our deacons, our priests, our bishops, and our Pope. For all of us, in order, have increasing responsibility for the rest of us. Let’s surrender our will to our Father’s Divine Will, for in that obedience that we owe Him and his Church, He also takes full responsibility for us. For “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” (Romans 6:8). Remember always that “If God is for us, then who is against us?” (Romans 8:31). Praying for all of us. May our ever-loving Lord grant us His peace. Amen. By: Laura Worhacz Genuine progress: You say that you are not improving? Know that genuine progress consists in doing God’s holy will, in forever plucking up one’s courage, in rising after every fall, and in always saying, “I’ll do better.” - Saint Peter Julian Eymard (Eymard Library, Volume 6, page 239)
Dearest Eucharistic Family, “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:48) Here again we find an invitation from Jesus to enter into His holy life, “be perfect”. In opposition to these words lives a force that is constantly trying to vacuum us into winds of destruction, yet there is a mounting reality that comes from the Altar of God, a place to secure our souls in the Holy Eucharist. This Lenten season I asked Jesus to refresh my love for Him. Jesus prayed; He prayed to transmit LIFE from Our Father’s creative love. Jesus’ perfection was formed in His Triune existence. Mary, our mother, was incarnated into this holy place. She lived in the Trinity and espoused herself to the Holy Spirit; her perfections were enabled by this gift. The interior consent to Our Father’s love enfolds us into His gracious will. Our choices to freely love flow out of our reception of Communion. Our trust and security in God’s love will be nourished in our prayer time. In my younger years I remember a time in life when I felt very far from perfect. God seemed far away. I knew He was in existence yet could not touch Him. The pure gift we have in the Blessed Sacrament and our grace to know Jesus in this intimate way brings God’s love to us. My imperfections are made ever more present to me now, yet the gift embraced in the Eucharist enables us to take courage. Saint Peter Julian was proclaimed at his canonization to be “An Outstanding Apostle of the Eucharist”. He lived in the gift of God’s perfections, God’s life, love, and gift of His Son in the Blessed Sacrament. Saint Peter Julian’s counsel to remain in God’s holy will, to take courage and rise when we fall seem like a perfect reminder during this holy season of Lent. May Jesus make us His holy people, those who strive to be perfect by loving Him ever more -- PERFECT by serving Jesus and thanking Him for His Passionate death that has granted us eternal life. |
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AuthorsWe are Ivonne J. Hernandez, Rick Hernandez and Laura Worhacz, Lay Associates of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, and brothers and sisters in Christ. |