Jesus Christ

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Scraps from the table

“Send her away…” is the request made by the disciples in this past Sunday’s Gospel reading. (Mt. 15:23) Yet Jesus did not come to scatter, but to gather all people together.

The Canaanite woman, a person who was not welcome in Jewish company, had boldly cried out to Jesus. Given the attitude the Jews had for many of the surrounding nationalities, in some ways, the disciples’ request sounds reasonable. When I heard that sentence during the proclamation of the Gospel, it reminded me of the feeding of the five thousand. This account is in a previous chapter of  Matthew’s Gospel (14:15), when the disciples ask Jesus to dismiss the crowds so the people can purchase food. In both instances, Jesus does the opposite of what is requested. 

To the modern ear, the exchange between the Canaanite woman and Jesus is very uncomfortable. We hear Jesus comparing this woman and her daughter to the same as being a dog! Can that be right?! Jesus wouldn’t be that cruel, would He? Our natural instinct is to assume it must be a translation error. But the woman is never named, we don’t really know anything about her except her nationality, her daughter’s condition, and the love she has for her daughter has made her very brave. She asks for nothing for herself; she does not ask to be forgiven nor does she admit to any fault. Instead she praises Jesus by addressing Him as the “Son of David” and as “Lord.”

Unlike with the feeding of the crowd where Jesus gives directions to the disciples to orderly control the volume of people by having them sit down, Jesus responds to the disciples request regarding the Canaanite woman by indicating to whom His ministry was focused on: the Jewish people. I can almost imagine the men looking at each other with puzzled expressions. Of course Jesus came for the Jews of Israelite descent, He was the long awaited Messiah and the whole Jewish nation was looking for Him to come. Yet His humble origin proved to be a stumbling block for many, but this woman, most likely having heard the miraculous actions Jesus performed, knew exactly who Jesus was. She also knew that He alone could help her daughter. 

Despite what seems like harsh words, Jesus never sends the woman away. He never tells her she is not welcome, that she shouldn’t address Him, nor does He ignore her completely. He does respond to her as she humbles herself before Him, seeking His pity and mercy. Her daughter was probably her whole world, yet she knows it would cost Jesus nothing to heal her. She uses the analogy that Jesus initiates and compares the healing of her daughter to a scrap of food fallen to the floor for the dogs to eat; it’s insignificant. And here we are over 2,000 years later marveling over this exchange and trying to figure out the spiritual meaning. 

This foreigner sought to be fed a tiny morsel from the table of life. How many times have we eaten from that table? How many times have we received the Precious Body and Blood of Christ? How many blessings have we’ve been given in our life? Do we see these as scraps from the table, thankful to be fed on meager sustenance? Or do we presume that we have a seat at the table right next to Jesus and get frustrated when He doesn’t do as we command? 

God will never send us away. He also won’t do everything we ask of Him because He loves us and will only do what will help us to have a meaningful relationship with Him in order to go to heaven when this life is over. Yet when we humble ourselves before Him, seeking His mercy and demonstrating our faith in Him, God will provide what we need, and sometimes it just might be a miracle.  

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Crazy faith

Does faith make a person do “crazy” things? Depending on your perspective, one may answer YES to that question!

For those who think living a life of Christian faith means following a bunch of rules, doing the same as everyone else in their church, and not having any fun or excitement, I would suggest they read through the Gospels again. This past Sunday’s Gospel from Matthew (14:22-33) is one of my favorites: Peter walking on water. So, let’s unpack how incredible and almost unbelievable this narrative is.

Matthew sets the stage for the encounter, indicating it is very late into the night (the fourth watch), and the disciples are facing rather stormy conditions with the wind thwarting their efforts. The men are tired from battling the storm, compounded with the fact they had not been able to sleep. They cry out to a   figure they see as a ghost. (What other explanation could there be?) But it was Jesus! And He immediately reassures them it is actually Him in the flesh and they are not hallucinating. However, there was the fact that He’s walking on water! That is crazy! Peter boldly meets crazy with crazy, challenging Jesus to allow him, Peter, to walk on the water to meet Him. Then Jesus antes up the crazy by agreeing to Peter’s proposal with the simple word of, “Come.” 

The only times I’ve ever walked on water it has been in a frozen state: once on the Arctic ocean and once on a glacier. However, if, when I’m traveling by cruise ship, I see Jesus walking on the water toward me and if He then invites me to walk on the water towards Him, I’m not sure I could; most especially if the waves were bad. While I have no doubt that Jesus can walk on water, my brain cannot process Peter stepping out of a perfectly good boat and starting to walk on the water as well. I keep tripping over questions that begin with “how” and “why.” Even though I struggle to comprehend that Peter could actually get out of the boat and walk on the water, I have great respect for him in doing so. This may seem like “crazy” faith, but it’s the faith we are called to have and to share. In the face of insurmountable obstacles, God can make a way. 

When I hear this story, I can understand Jesus’ chastisement  of Peter when he starts to doubt and begins sinking. Peter had believed enough to get out of the boat, to take the action, but his faith wasn’t quite deep enough to see him through. For me, my problem would be getting out of the boat. But, I think if I was able to get out of the boat I would run to Jesus and give Him a hug of both joy and gratitude: joy for being able to do such a crazy thing and being thankful that I was able to make it all the way to Him. 

Even for believers, sometimes these types of narratives take on a more mythological aura. We hear it in the context of a time 2,000 years ago and try to make literal correlations, like my cruise ship analogy. However, if I look at my life, I have been called to “walk on water” that had nothing to do with water, but with writing. Nine years ago, I felt a calling to write a faith blog. I had every excuse as to why I shouldn’t: there’s plenty of other people doing it, I don’t have the knowledge to do that, it’s a lot of extra work, etc. Yet each excuse was knocked down, many times as I was praying in front of the Holy Sacrament. It took almost a year for me to get going, but in February 2015 I posted my first weekly faith blog. Go ahead, call me crazy. Sometimes I think I must be! There are times when I have no idea what I’m going to write. Other times I know exactly what I want to write but what comes out is not what I thought it would be. God always makes a way… His way.

Living a Christian life of faith may not always be an adrenaline rush, but it certainly has its moments that leave one in wonder and amazement. Perhaps even in reflection, seeming a bit crazy?

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”

1 Corinthians: 25
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Respecting the house

The shoes were on the porch just next to the door and I smiled when I saw them. They belong to my nephew’s wife, from China, and reminded me of my Indian friend’s house, who had a large rack just inside the door to place your shoes. It’s an amazing sign of respect.

I’ve often had friends and acquaintances over who have asked about my “shoes in the house” policy. As much as I try to keep Vera from tracking litter all over the house, I find it easier to wear a pair of slip-on shoes to reduce the injury one’s foot feels when it steps on a piece of litter. They may be small, but seem like they have a million edges to them trying to find the most tender part of your foot. I leave it to my guests to decide, but greatly appreciate their inquiry. 

The removal of shoes upon entering a home, signals that a person respects the home and the people living inside it. This action communicates their proactiveness in reducing the dirt from the outside world from being tracked all over the floors inside the house. It’s more than just the house that benefits from this action. It reduces the necessity for the household to clean the floors saving the people living there time and energy. These visitors say with their actions, “I’m going to limit the impact this visit has on your workload.” What a positive way to start a visit!

But cleanliness is not the only reason to remove shoes. God commanded Moses to remove his sandals as he approached the burning bush to investigate it, citing it was holy ground. (Exodus 3:5) In society today, we are not asked to remove our shoes before we enter a church. However, we should act at all times in a respectful way while we are in the church, whether that is for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mas, or for cleaning, decorating, and maintaining the building. It is, after all, God’s house and He is dwelling there 365 days a year in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. 

Respecting God’s house can take many forms. It can be bowing to the altar upon entering, genuflecting to the tabernacle when one passes in front of it, or speaking with hushed tones when others are present and seeking silent prayer with God. Respect does not mean having a dour expression for the entire duration you’re in the building. On the contrary, we are the closest to God we can be on this side of heaven, so even a little smile is something we can be sure to put on when entering the church. These small actions are a way for us to show our love and respect, not only for God, but for all the children He has called into His family who are there. They also serve as a reminder to us when we perform these, that God is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and He reigns supreme. We cast our egos to the side and practice the virtue of humility. 

Perhaps the most respect we need to give is to the Holy Sacrament in both forms.  As we approach the sanctuary, literally the most holy area of the church building, are we preparing our hearts and souls for Jesus to enter? Or are we scanning the crowds for familiar faces and shifting between feet wondering why the line is taking so long? Do we humbly receive the Eucharist or snatch it out of the hands of the minister? 

Just like seeing that pair of shoes on the porch reminded me of the respect my nephew’s wife has for the family, we should take a moment to think about how we show our love and respect to God when we are in His house. We may be performing actions of respect out of habit, but how would they change if they were practiced with intention? 

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Called to discipleship

When you hear the word “disciple” what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For me it was the men and women who followed Jesus while He was on this earth. They listened and learned from Him and perhaps even traveled with Him. In reality, all Christians are disciples of Jesus, no matter the time period.

I attended an RCIA conference recently and the presenters mentioned several times about living out our discipleship. Since my definition was stuck in the past when Jesus lived in Israel, the comments seemed to claim more attention than some of the other material. I think of myself as a Catholic Christian, but I don’t think I would describe myself as a disciple of Jesus, simply because I’ve never met Him in His human form. I firmly believe that Jesus is truly present in the Precious Body and Precious Blood after the consecration, and that His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity are fully in each. Since I rest my faith in this mystery, considering myself a disciple who walks with Jesus should be easy. I seek Him out every time I go to Mass, whether it’s just a regular Sunday, or I’m on vacation and can find a Church that has a weekday Mass. Yet describing myself as a disciple still has an odd ring to it.

The Gospels are full of Jesus’ words and teachings. I hear them on Sundays, and the daily morning and evening prayers I pray using the Magnificat companion. It contains various readings from both Old and New Testaments, and may include Gospel passages. I am listening and learning from Jesus, so here again the description of disciple should fit me. I could try and argue that the original disciples could ask clarifying questions to Jesus and get a response, but isn’t that what contemplative prayer is all about? We’re not just supposed to babbel a bunch of words using the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, and then go through our day as if our relationship with Jesus is limited to specific prayer times. I’ve prayed for answers and received them in a number of unique ways; is that any different from the original disciples who asked a question and received a parable in reply? 

I think the scary thing about considering myself as a disciple is that I can’t just believe in Jesus and then go do my own thing. Like the original disciples, my life must change from being focused on myself and how I fit into the culture of this age, to one of being a reflecting light of Christ, and bringing it to the dark areas where God leads me. It can be speaking up when someone uses Jesus’ name as a curse word, presenting a topic to those studying to enter into the Catholic Church, or it could be opening myself to write a blog post with a message He wants to convey. I know God has full control over my life, and yet, even just admitting to myself that I am Jesus’ disciple still seems to have repercussions that are unknown and therefore are a bit frightening. 

I do trust God with everything I am and have and He has always generously provided me with what I’ve needed. I trust in His mercy and His love for me. How can I say that I am anything else but Jesus’ disciple? Who will say it with me? I am a disciple of Jesus and I accept His calling, whatever He may ask of me. 

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Directing Thanks

We all know the responses we say at Mass. However, have you ever thought of them, not as responses but as prayers?

For the past few weeks I’ve been contemplating the response given to the first and second readings at Mass. Thanks be to God. My initial thoughts were that it was rather flat in that it didn’t evoke any type of feeling from me. It was merely an obligatory response. Even when I put it in conjunction with the phrase that prompts it, The Word of the Lord, it still felt like a hollow response. I love language and am fascinated by the choice of words used within the Mass. My favorite is the concluding Doxology of the Eucharistic prayers and I could probably ponder that for hours due to the richness of the words and what they convey. So to participate in the Mass weekly saying the same response in the Liturgy of the Word with no feeling was making me uncomfortable and I wanted to find out why.

The Scripture readings are God’s word to the world, in every time and in every situation. These words were inspired by God and directed through human efforts yet they still convey the faith and morals God wanted to express. I do enjoy both reading and hearing the Scriptures proclaimed. I tried to think of a more powerful meaning to the phrase before the response. The Word of the Lord really does define what is read, and in trying to find something with more vigor, the only thing I could equate to it is, “God is speaking this to you.” That’s a bit overwhelming to think about, and I don’t think I would want to hear that twice every Sunday at Mass. However, that does shape my perspective of a response. What would you say to that? 

God’s Word to us is a gift. He speaks to us in both the Old and the New Testaments. When we listen to them and study them, we get to know God better. When I receive something I see as a blessing from God, anything from an easy merge onto a busy highway to a rediscovered five-dollar bill at the bottom of my purse, or even seeing me through a challenging day, I do my best to thank God for it. I use the language I would use to any other person who does something nice, “Thank you, God!” But what if I changed my language? What if, instead of the words currently used in our culture, I switch to saying “Thanks be to God”? 

I shouldn’t be surprised, but after a few weeks of using “Thanks be to God” in my prayers to God, that phrase has become vibrantly alive! I’ve realized in saying and praying it, that it is a reminder that all Thanks should Be directed To God. It underscores that everything I have is a gift from God and that I rely solely on Him. While I may continue to say “Thank you” to people in the course of everyday life, every time I do, I’m also thanking God for putting that person in that place and time to help me or share God’s gifts with me. For example, saying “thank you” to someone who holds open a door for you is also a “thank you” to God for putting that person there to see and acknowledge you and to share the gift of God’s love, even if they don’t even realize that’s what they are doing. Everyone is made in God’s image and likeness and little things that we may chalk up to “being nice” or “having manners” is a reflection of God’s love for us. 

As Catholics, we may be dismissed from Mass, but we are called to live Mass in our everyday lives. Diving deeper into just this one response has opened a treasure chest of meaning, one that prompts more reflection. Let us give thanks to God for the richness of faith and pray to always be ready to explore the faith rather than allowing it to go stale and be merely words that are spoken. 

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Baptized into freedom

As Americans celebrate what’s considered to be the birthday of the United States on July 4, I started to think about the most important freedom we have: free from sin.

The first line of the Declaration of Independence, written 247 years ago, called upon “ Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” as it set out to describe why this declaration was necessary. Many people are familiar with the first line of the second paragraph of the document, indicating the “unalienable Rights” given by the Creator, namely: Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Some will take that list and twist it around, interpreting it that they are free to do whatever they want with their lives. Yet the three principles are placed in a particular order and reading through the document illustrates why. In the over 25 objections raised against the British sovereign, many include mentions of actions that were harming the very lives of the colonists, some dealt with false incarceration, and lastly they included constraints on conducting commerce transactions. The rally cry that many now use, was a summary of the injustices of that time. The document essentially was a list of sins from which the American colonists were seeking freedom. 

Most, if not all, of the founding fathers were Christians. They had been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They understood the ten commandments and how people who had been raised with these basic fundamentals could govern one another. In addition, they not only prohibited a particular national religion, they also allowed for the free exercise of any religion. During that time, religion was not something that enslaved men, but freed them, allowing them to pursue a government by the common people. 

While the world and many of its governments have certainly changed since those days, the opportunity to be free of sin through baptism remains. In the sacrament, we are freed from original sin and made whole in relationship with the Triune God. Jesus didn’t take away the ten commandments, as they continue to be an instruction manual of how to be human. Rather Jesus actually intensified the actions with the Beatitudes. We, who are baptized in Christ Jesus, are called to be holy and to imitate His ways. Although we were freed from original sin in baptism, the fallen world around us never ceases to throw obstacles to prevent us from living freed from all sin. Each moment, however, does give us a freedom of choice: to choose ourselves and what we want, or to choose God and what He wants. First through the Israelites and then through Jesus and the early Church, God provided the guidelines for doing His will. How many times do we hesitate to accept what is captured in Scriptures? How many times do we try to twist things around to suit our needs? 

After the celebratory barbeques and fireworks, let us take a moment to remember our baptisms and the gifts we received from God. Let us refresh our knowledge of God’s will for us by taking time to reflect on the Scriptures. Let the Holy Spirit stir a fire of true freedom in you. 

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Less than best

We all have days that turn into a slog to get through and thus, it seems like the only hope is the promise of a new day tomorrow. The question is, do we offer these kinds of days up to God?

When I have a rough day, I know I’m not performing my best from any perspective: work, home-life, pet parent, and even to myself… not to mention spiritually. I usually have a number of things I want to accomplish during a day and when it turns out that everything is a struggle, I feel like I’m asking God for help more than I am offering up the struggles to Him. Perhaps because I can feel defeated during those times, I also feel disappointed in myself and I find that I project that sentiment as how God feels. Even though logic tells me that is not so, for God IS love and sees the bigger picture of my entire life. He does not focus on the momentary blip that we call a day. If a hard day was a cake, I would imagine it would be a sunken, half-baked one, with burned edges and missing ingredients; tasting so bad that even a dog would not eat it. How does one offer that up to God? 

I know I’m far from perfect, but on a good day, I can find so many things to be thankful to God for and gratitude seems to flow from my mouth for the simplest of things: the sun shining, Vera purring, the ability to help a coworker. I feel thankful when I vocalize these thoughts. Maybe I perceive a lack of similar intensity on bad days that makes me feel that my prayers for help, guidance, and direction are inadequate. The passage that comes to mind during these times is more about carrying the cross one is given on a daily basis (Matt 16:24) rather than God’s yoke being easy and light (Matt 11:28-30). Indeed, the language Jesus uses of a yoke is meant to convey that there are two animals pulling the proverbial cart. If we are one and He is the other, we may be taking more of the load than we should. I wonder if the reason why the weight of the yoke on these trial-filled days is because I’m trying to not only pull the cart by myself, but take it in a different direction than what God has intended. 

We are never alone, in whatever challenge we face, because God is always with us. He never left the Israelites even when they strayed from His commandments for generations. I think Paul summed it up best when in the letter to the Romans he said: “For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present for things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39) While we should always strive to do our best, even the poorest work we perform can still be offered up to God. He knows how much we are capable of, and we need to leave all judgment to Him and try not to compete with ourselves.

No matter what our state in life, we will face challenging days. Perhaps in offering them to God as we experience them, as well as at the end of day, we can make ourselves more ready to spend eternity with God because we have shared the whole of our lives with Him. 

God hug

I don’t believe in coincidence. From my perspective, anything that someone would consider a coincidence is God making His presence known.

Last Friday was the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and one of the churches in my area provided the opportunity for a two hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as a way to mark this holy day. Since it started at 5 PM, I did need to log off of work early in order to make my way over to the church. Even the normal weekly Wednesday Adoration, which they have for an hour and starts at 6 PM, can be a struggle for me to get to on-time based on how work is going. It also has a portion that is private prayer followed by communal evening vespers. At times I miss having a whole silent hour before the Blessed Sacrament like when I lived in Pennsylvania, so the possibility of visiting Jesus in the Sacrament for at least a whole hour in private meditation made me very excited. I felt lucky that there were no last minute surprises at work and was able to power down and arrive at the church for the beginning of Adoration. The seminarian assigned to the parish often leads Adoration and for special occasions prepares handouts that we follow for vespers. As he is also a trained cantor, he took the opportunity to make this Adoration special by chanting the entire vespers (in English) followed by the Litany of the Sacred Heart (in Latin). It seemed like joy was just pouring out of me, I was so delighted to spend the time with Jesus and then sing His praises. It was like heaven on earth for those moments. 

As extraordinary as that experience was, it was what happened on the ride home that really made me feel even closer to Jesus. Driving from that direction, there are a set of train tracks I need to pass over to get to my home. I cross them often enough to get to church, the post office, taking Vera to the vet, etc. This time, as I was going over and experiencing the normal vibrations that crossing over these tracks produce, I caught a flicker of movement from some prayer cards I have tucked in the car’s visor. I put my hand up to prevent anything from falling, but regardless one of the cards did, landing on my chest. As I was very close to my home, I picked it up and held it, so that it would not fall further and get trampled underfoot or forgotten. I have a few cards tucked there and they have never moved, no matter how many times I’ve crossed those tracks so I was surprised that this happened. After navigating through my development and parking, I took a look at the card I was holding. It was one I had forgotten was there, since I had placed other cards in front of it. The card? It was from the Sacred Heart of Jesus Auto League. This card specifically had the words “Sacred Heart,” the one and the same reason I was just at Adoration to celebrate and praise, and landed on my chest near to my heart. No, I refuse to call that a coincidence. That was a hug from God. (If you want to call it a God Wink, that works too.) 

If I perceived what happened as just a coincidence, that allows me to brush it off as an oddity that is unimportant. But I think God communicates to us all the time, and we, myself included, can be deaf to the language He uses or we make excuses so that we can think we are in control of everything. Why did it have to happen then? Why was it that particular prayer card that fell? Why did it land on my chest instead of fluttering to the floor or my lap? There are many other outcomes that could have happened, but God chose that one. For some it may be too subtle to equate to being from the hand of God, yet for me, it was more like a bonk on the head with a foam mallet — gentle enough not to hurt, but too obvious for me to ignore. 

So take a moment and reflect: how has God communicated with you today? Are you looking to dialog with Him? Do you ask for the wisdom to understand His communication? Is your heart and soul open to what God is saying to you? Sometimes He may be guiding you or comforting you. Sometimes He just wants to say “hello” or even “I love you.” But unless we are on the lookout for His communication, we may miss the unique and little ways that God is using to interact with us. 

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.”   

Matthew 6:33

A heart like no other

June is a very special month. During it, for over 300 years, Catholics have been celebrating a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. While the Mass for the feast occurs 19 days after Pentecost (this Friday), the whole month of June is dedicated to the contemplation and adoration of a mystery as deep as the Love that God is. 

There have been numerous saints who were devoted to the Sacred Heart, but it was St. Margaret Mary Alacoque that received the unenviable task of promulgating it throughout the Church. According to Catholic Online, “A group of theologians declared her visions delusions and suggested she eat better.“ From the humble beginnings in the French community of St. Margaret Mary, it took almost 200 years for the feast to be extended to the universal Church. However, the revelations St. Margaret Mary received included one of the most iconic images of Jesus today: with a heart surrounded by the crown of thorns, with flames of love and a cross just above it. 

A human heart? God wants us to look upon Jesus’ humanity in the most critical muscle of the body — the heart that pumps life-giving blood throughout all of one’s being. It is central to the Love Jesus wants to lavish on mankind. Christ loves us so much, the heart just isn’t beating, it’s on fire! The Sacred Heart of Jesus burns for you! He reminds us that He died for us on the cross, and it is through the sufferings of our daily crosses that we can deepen our relationship with Him. Love is not a solitary thing. As intimate as the Sacred Heart is to us, we are reminded of the sins of humanity, including ours, that surround the heart with piercing thorns. For all those who reject Jesus, deny Him, and turn against Him, His Heart suffers and is constricted by those who offend His Love. 

Jesus desires a devotion to His Sacred Heart so that those who answer the call can draw closer to Him, enjoying the blessings and consolations that only He can give. He has made many different promises depending on how the faithful honor His Will. There are special blessings for those that display and honor the image of His Sacred Heart within their homes. Other blessings are for those that promote adoration, devotion, and enthronement within a household. Jesus also promised special graces to those who attend Mass on the first Friday of every month for nine consecutive months. These promises are not meant to be a “purchase” or “bargaining” plan, but rather they are set forth to underscore just how powerful Jesus’ love is for us. By uniting ourselves with Jesus’ Sacred Heart and inviting Him to live within us, we welcome His transformative Love to change us more to His image and likeness.  

God has called us to be holy as He is Holy, but we cannot do so by our own merits. He sent His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior and reestablish humanity’s relationship with the Divine. Jesus has provided the Sacraments and the Church as the vehicles we can use to initiate and develop that relationship. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus allows us to dive into a deeper intimacy, connecting the Sacrament of the Eucharist with the Divine Mercy through the Passion, Death, and Resurrection. As St. Augustine wrote in his Confessions, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” May we take time this month to contemplate, praise, adore, and pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and offer our hearts to Him. 

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Reality and mystery

This Sunday is the Feast of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, commonly known by its Latin name, Corpus Christi. I have seen a number of stories in recent years about the decline among Catholics believing in the Real Presence of Jesus in the consecrated Eucharistic host and wine. It is a central precept of our belief that serves for our benefit… if we can be open to the mystery that it is. 

Everyday, in churches all around the world, simple rounds of bread and wine (mixed with water) are transformed into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus during the Eucharist prayer of the Mass. It has become commonplace enough that we don’t really think of it as a miracle, yet that is exactly what it is. It illustrates the power and love of God to take ordinary, man-made products and sanctify them to the point that it may look and taste like bread and wine, but no longer is. It has become Jesus. It is a mystery and a miracle! Instead of seeing it for the miracle it is, humanity considers it a miracle when the bread and wine are physically transformed into flesh and blood, which the Church has recognized over 100 times throughout the centuries. Some of these miracles have been preserved, which itself can be a miracle, especially as years turn into decades and even centuries. 

The Mass prepares us to receive Jesus in the most intimate way. Yet it is not just something that happens to us, but rather something we participate in. We pray in response to the priest, as well as in communion with all in the congregation. We are the Church, assembling together, praying in unison and consuming  the Body of Jesus, the One Body, in what we call Holy Communion. It is indeed holy, as only God could sanctify the unity of such diverse people. Mass may be at a particular time and place, but in and through the reception of Holy Communion we are joined to all those who have already received, are receiving, and ever will receive the miracle that is the Body of Christ. 

While Mass is the most common encounter with the Eucharist, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another option Catholics have to worship God through this miracle. I remember my first attempt at adoration; I lasted about 10 minutes. How does one just sit in silence? Especially in this noisy world that is always seeking to gain our attention, the ability to just focus on the presence of Jesus (as a consecrated host) displayed in a monstrance is a practice one needs to build up. Depending on the church or chapel hosting adoration, the surroundings can grab one’s attention more than Jesus. Why would God choose to hide Himself in such a simple thing? It’s one of the questions worth pondering in adoration. It never ceases to amaze me that no matter how hectic and frazzled I am when I go to adoration, while I’m there, even if I am pouring out all my troubles to Him, I feel a sense of peace and serenity that is hard to explain. I wish all parishes would offer regular adoration opportunities, as it does provide a different experience in relating to Jesus and may even help strengthen the faith and respect parishioners have when receiving Holy Communion.

Bread and wine have been around almost as long as civilization. They are a physical reality we can see, smell, touch, and taste. Yet God has chosen these to be vessels of Himself so that we may receive Him. It is a mystery that we can never truly comprehend with our limited faculties. The Eucharist reality is a mystery for all time and in all generations. It may only be when we meet Jesus at the moment of our death that we realize just how important every Mass, every adoration, and every reception of the Holy Sacrament has meant to our spiritual lives. Let us pray especially during this feast that all Catholics realize, appreciate, and return to believing in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.