Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end. – Saint Teresa of Avila
 

MEDITATION:

“Everything is going to be ok.” These words have comforted me more times than I can remember. In times of darkness and uncertainty, God always finds a way to remind me of this truth. It is usually through my husband who, as a constant witness to my ups and downs, knows when I need some encouragement. And I do the same for him. We need each other, but we can only help pull someone out of the darkness if we are securely anchored ourselves. It is in the Eucharist that we find the hope that anchors our soul (Heb 6:19).

We need to look outside of ourselves and see the needs of our neighbor. “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Mt 12:7). Through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy we bring hope to the hopeless and Christ to the world. Sometimes something as simple as a smile can bring someone hope. It can remind them that someone cares. Your simple act of kindness can be the dew that softens a hardened heart and opens them to receive the mercy of God.

The virtue of hope “keeps man from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment; it opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude. Buoyed up by hope, he is preserved from selfishness and led to the happiness that flows from charity” (ccc 1818). It is charity that moves us to bring this same hope to those around us. Securely anchored in God’s love, we venture out into the storm and encourage our brothers and sisters to persevere in their difficulties and remain “buoyed up by hope.”
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The word ‘hope’ in Spanish is translated to ‘esperanza’, which literally means to wait in expectation. As the quote above from St. Teresa of Avila reminds us, it is our impatience that “makes doubtful what is certain.” It is at those times that we need to “hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy” (Heb 10:23). Before we receive the Eucharist, we confess: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.” And today I add: Imprint your Love in my soul, so that in times of darkness I remember to Whom I belong.

By: Laura Worhacz

“Disciple, behold thy Mother!” When Mary heard these words from the lips of her dying Son, words which mean so much to us, her soul suffered inexpressible anguish. What! The disciple instead of the Master; John instead of Jesus; the creature instead of the Son of God! But our Blessed Mother lovingly accepts the substitution. She covered us with the Blood and the merits of her Divine Son, and began to love us with that boundless love which caused her to find happiness in tarrying here below…” – (St. Peter Julian Eymard, Eymard Library, Volume 7 page 980
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Dearest Eucharistic Family,

The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. What makes Mary still weep, what makes Mary still mourn, what makes Mary sad? And how could this be as our Blessed Mother rests in the Beatific Vision, the reality of Heaven? In today’s First Reading St. Paul refers to us as, “beloved ones” reminding us of our participation in the “Blood of Christ”.  We know the answer to the above question is the sin, sin and death, the denial to love. St. Peter Julian’s thoughts of Our Lady loving the creature over the Son of God bring to our minds the thought of loving the divine, the perfect, the sinless.  St. Peter Julian goes on to teach us that Mary began to love us with a boundless love. This was her happiness here below. If Mary is our example of perfect love, then our beholding of our Mother is the call to love others with a boundless love. Our happiness will be found in this. Jesus Christ suffered and died for us to rise and raise us to the hope that is found in service: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) Mary shows us the way to this salvation that St. Paul is hoping for us to find. At the foot of the cross Jesus gave us Mary; our Mother is beholding us as Jesus promised. Our Lady of Sorrows is a Memorial for us to rejoice in the reality that our sorrows are the sorrows of Jesus, He who takes away the sins of the world. Mary encapsulates every ounce of our sufferings as the good mother she is. We entrust all our intentions to you dearest mother, you who know the sorrows of sin and suffering. We trust in your Immaculate Heart. Please bring our intentions to the Eucharist where our living God is found, and the hope of everlasting glory is ours.

As you recite the following words remember your consecration promise:

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.

Even in her cradle, Mary was the delight of the Holy Trinity, the admiration of the angels. “Who is this privileged creature” they ask, “who, at the first dawn of life, is so rich in virtue and adorned with such glory?” And the demons trembled. They beheld her advancing against them strong as an army in battle array. They felt the humiliation of their chief s defeat, and they already foresaw the terrible war that this child of a day would wage against them.[1] – St. Peter Julian Eymard
 
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Today, as we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we ponder on how God delighted in His most wonderful creation: the one who would become the Mother of His Son. We imagine Our Lady, as a babe, her beauty and splendor pointing us to the forthcoming birth of our Savior. St. Peter Julian echoes the words from the Song of Songs as he invites us to open our eyes and see the spiritual reality in front of us. We see the angels marveling at this most beautiful creature, while the demons tremble in fear. “Who is this that comes forth like the dawn, beautiful as the white moon, pure as the blazing sun, fearsome as celestial visions?” (Song 6:10)

This reality present at Mary’s birth is the same one present at our Baptism. Through the waters of Baptism, we become a new creation, heirs of the Kingdom of God. On the day of our Baptism the angels marveled and rejoiced, and the demons trembled in fear. “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.” (Eph 2:10) The enemy of our souls will be relentless in trying to blind us to this truth, but we shall not fear, for nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Rom 8:39)

Saint Theresa of Calcutta said that “when you know how much God is in love with you then you can only live your life radiating that love.” Let us ponder on the beauty of our soul. Let us open our eyes and see the reality before us; see how God delights in us. Once we are rooted in His love, we may then go forth and fulfill the good works He has prepared in advance.  As we live our lives radiating His love, we join Mary’s “army in battle array.” We become the marvel of angels and the terror of demons, and we hear the echo resounding through the ages… “Who is this?”
 


[1] http://archive.org/stream/monthofourladyof00eymauoft#page/48/mode/2up

“How happy is the loving soul when it has found Jesus with Mary, His Mother! They who know the Tabernacle where He dwells, they who receive Him into their souls, know that His conversation is full of divine sweetness, His consolation ravishing, His peace superabundant, and the familiarity of His love and His Heart ineffable. To find Jesus in the arms of His Mother, to unite oneself to Mary’s sentiments as she presses Him to her heart-O What a ravishing moment! … we have Jesus and Mary.”  - St. Peter Julian Eymard, Eymard Library Volume 7 page 70


Dearest Eucharistic Family,

We can find supreme consolation in the above reflection if we imagine and bring to life the reality of being held in the arms of our Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Our good mother carries our pleas to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus where we find the sweetness of His love. In the open heart and silence, we begin to hear the voice of God to explore the truth in the virtues that need to be activated within us. This activation comes from divine grace upon the reception of Holy Communion and the listening to the Word of God. Jesus calls us to believe in Him. He has been inviting us to the divine banquet asking us if we too will leave Him? Once we encounter, befriend and try to love the life of Christ that surpasses all darkness, the words from the Benedictus will echo in our hearts, “You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way…” The beating heart of Jesus is found in the Blessed Sacrament, the living God is with us. God our Father confects the humble host into the flesh of Jesus by the power of His love. Love is found in giving, extraordinary and simple. Our Father gave us the supreme gift in His Son who suffered, died and rose to show us the way to true life found in the service of others. Our Lady is the first to trust in the power of God the first to know He can bring life to one who chooses to follow His will. Our Lady believed in Jesus from the announcement of His Incarnation into her body. She believed in Miracles, believed in God, believed in Jesus. The Eucharist is confected by the power of the Most High through the hands of our beloved priests. We press Jesus in our hearts like Mary, we allow Him to dwell in our souls, we find divine life as we love and serve. This is where God is found present in our midst. There is no darkness, no power greater than what Our Father brings to us on the Altar, He who dwells in our Tabernacles, Jesus who lives in our hearts.

“Believe Me” (John 14:11)
“We have Jesus and Mary” (St. Peter Julian)



The Benedictus
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Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
Amen.