ELISHEBA BLOGLaura, Ivonne, and Rick
write about their lives in the Eucharist. |
ELISHEBA BLOGLaura, Ivonne, and Rick
write about their lives in the Eucharist. |
St Peter Julian tells us that through the Eucharist, Jesus is continually bringing us all the “fruits and flowers of Paradise.” What are these, if not the Holy Spirit Himself? Jesus said He had to ascend to the Father so that the Father could send the Spirit to us, and “when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth” (John 16:13). I’ve been staying at the beach for the last few days, and, as I watch the waves crash with their beautiful symphony of sounds at the shore, I see in the distance, in the deep, a calmness that seems constant and unmovable. On the surface, it appears that the beach is much more interesting than the deep waters, which seem either dull or dangerous. I look down at the kids playing on the waves with their surfboards. They gather their boards and swim to the back, waiting to catch the next wave, as they laugh with glee when they feel the power of the wave pushing them back to the shore. They do this repeatedly until they are utterly exhausted and come out of the water to rest. We can do this in our spiritual lives. We can keep ourselves completely engaged in the shallow waters where the spirit of the world and the Spirit of God collide. Here the anxieties and worries of life have great force and can knock us off our feet. If we spend enough time there, maybe we get good at riding the waves and fool ourselves, thinking that these temporary highs are all there is. We end up flat with our faces on the sand and wonder how much longer we can endure this. The spiritual life seems too hard. We sometimes look at the distance and see the peaceful waters as “deep calls to deep in the roar of your torrents, and all your waves and breakers sweep over me” (Psalm 42:8). We want to respond, but we are afraid. What if I get tired of swimming and drown? What if I drift and never find a resting place? This must be how the apostles felt on the morning of Pentecost. Even after they had experienced the Risen Christ, they were afraid. They gathered with Mary and prayed behind locked doors, waiting for the Promise of the Father. After the Holy Spirit was manifested at Pentecost, the apostles lost all their fear and had everything they needed to fulfill their mission. It is the same for us today. When we receive the Eucharist, Jesus brings His Spirit down with Him to abide in the depths of our hearts. It is here where “deep calls to deep,” where “the one who searches hearts knows what the intention of the Spirit is because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will” (Romans 8:27). If we allow it, the Spirit of Truth will guide us into those deep tranquil waters, where we can be transformed and have no more fear. Let us then prepare for each Eucharistic encounter in the same way the apostles prepared for Pentecost, by devoting “themselves with one accord to prayer, together… with Mary…all in one place together” (Acts 1:14, 2:1). Let us be awake and ready, for “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15).
0 Comments
By: Laura Worhacz "After having given Jesus to the world Mary was bound to be eclipsed; she had to remain in the background in order to become the model of interior souls, that patroness of the lowly, hidden life. Mary's mission after her Son's Resurrection was one of love and prayer. Our Lord seems to have kept for Himself alone the secret of his Mother's life He wished it to be entirely for Himself." ( St. Peter Julian Eymard: Vol. 7 Eymard Library) Dearest Eucharistic Family, How do we get to HEAVEN? St.Peter Julian Eymard who lived in the secret of God's love tells us that, "Our Lord seems to have kept for Himself alone the secret of his Mother's life...." Mary's life was a hidden life with a mission to love and pray. This is our way to heaven, to love and to pray through our consecration promise. We must keep it alive by our faith in what is to come through the secret hidden life of love and service we offer to God. Consecrated children of Mary need to be dedicated to receiving Holy Communion and to prayer. Create a prayer routine that will conform to your state in life. Keep the senses alive by a conscious effort to pray. Prayer will transform our interior life. Pray aloud to hear the words you are offering to God. St Peter Julian tells us too that Mary was eclipsed, hidden in the background to become the model for interior souls. Consecrated children need to be true adorers of the Eucharistic life, living a hidden life in the secret that has been revealed to us. Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament remains in the background for us, She covers us with her maternal care. Staying close to Marian prayers will become reflective to our life in Christ, they will become a part of us and our consecration promise. Espouse daily if you can to the Veni Creator, Ave Maris Stella, Magnificat, and most importantly Holy Communion, Sacramentally or Spiritually. The handing over of our wills, will be more natural when we enter into the supernatural. The first fidelity then after this dedication to pray will be to fulfill our state in life. Our lives will become a living prayer by offering up the demands placed upon our daily duties, entwining the promises of what is to come with the reality of our earthly life in GOD. Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, true light, lead us to heaven by your gift of Mary. Please offer daily the prayer to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, having it direct your heart to the consecration promise you have made. Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Blessed are you, Mary exalted daughter of Sion! You are highly favoured and full of grace, for the spirit of God descended upon you. We magnify the Lord and rejoice with you for the gift of the Word made flesh, bread of life and cup of joy. Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, our model of prayer in the cenacle, pray for us that we may become what we receive, the body of Christ your son. AMEN By Ivonne Hernandez From Lucia Speaks: “The third apparition of the Angel occurred near the end of September or in October. The three little Shepherds were praying the Rosary when the Angel appeared, holding a chalice in his hands with a Host above it from which some drops of Blood were falling into the sacred vessel. Leaving the Chalice and the Host suspended in the air, the Angel prostrated himself on the ground and repeated three times the following prayer: “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference with which He Himself is offended. And, through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.” After that he rose, took again in his hand the chalice and the host. The host he gave to me and the contents of the chalice he gave to Jacinta and Francisco, saying at the same time, “Eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ terribly outraged by the ingratitude of men. Offer reparation for their sakes and console God.” Once more he bowed to the ground repeating with us the same prayer thrice: “Oh, Blessed Trinity etc.” and disappeared. Overwhelmed by the supernatural atmosphere that involved us, we imitated the Angel in everything, kneeling prostrate as he did and repeating the prayers he said. ” [1] MEDITATION: This was the third and last visit from the Angel, who prepared the children at Fatima for Our Lady’s visits. On his first visit he taught the children to pray, on his second visit he told them to offer God sacrifices for the conversion of sinners, and on this third visit, he taught them the most perfect way to pray and offer sacrifice to God, through the Eucharist. Looking carefully at the details from this visit from the Angel, we can ponder on the depth of the mystery of the Eucharist. We see blood dripping from the Host into the Chalice; a reminder of the Blood of the Lamb, shed for the salvation of the world. We see the Angel, prostrated in Adoration of the Triune God present in front of Him in the Blessed Sacrament, while at the same time offering “the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all tabernacles of the world”. This is the prayer of the Church at every Mass, where “the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body.” (CCC, 1368) The angel is teaching us that we possess Jesus and can offer Him to the Most Holy Trinity, and that everything in our lives is to be offered to God as a sacrifice, united to Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. We also learn from the Angel the interior disposition we must have towards the Eucharist, one of profound Adoration, for God is truly present there. Almost eight months would pass before Our Lady would appear to the children on May 13, 1917, during which time the children continued to practice everything the Angel had taught them. When Our Lady asked them if they would offer themselves to God and bear all the sufferings for the conversion of sinners, they willingly complied. What beautiful fruits had these months of deep Eucharistic prayer bore in their hearts. It was necessary to school them in the doctrine of the Eucharist before they could be open to receive the message from Heaven asking for their total gift of self, and it is the same for us. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt 26:41) We need to pray and we need to unite our lives to the offering of Jesus in the Eucharist. He will transform us into Himself and we will then be ready to say Thy will be done. [1] http://fatimaonline.org/?page_id=998 |
Categories
All
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
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. |