Jesus Christ, Our Eucharistic King

"At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of His Body and Blood," (Sacrosanctum concilium, 47). The bread and wine at Mass, "By the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ's Body and Blood." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1333) The Eucharist is nothing less than Jesus' complete and Personal gift of Himself to us "Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity" under the appearances of bread and wine in the consecrated Host. The Church explains that the Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life." (Lumen gentium, 11) In his first encyclical, Redemptor Hominis, Pope John Paul II echoed these words, adding that through the Eucharist, "each Christian receives the saving power of the Redemption." (Article 20) Jesus hides His immense glory, beauty and dignity in the Blessed Sacrament because He wants us to come to Him in faith that we may love Him for Himself.

When we gather together for prayer or read Sacred Scripture Jesus is present in His Spirit. But in the Eucharist, the consecrated Host, Jesus is really present in Person "Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity."

Spending time with Jesus, adoring His Personal presence in the Sacred Host, is a wonderful expression of our love for Him, our very special gift to Him. Jesus loves us so much that He never wants to leave us and so stays with us day and night in the Blessed Sacrament, the sacrament of love.

Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration with exposition is the way to a truly personal relationship with Jesus. It is much easier to spend time with Our Eucharistic Lord and increase our belief in Him by gazing at His Presence and adoring Him "Face to face." One can be more efficaciously drawn into contemplation when they can gaze upon Jesus in the Sacred Host. Yet, the most compelling reason for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is because the Holy Spirit asks for it. During His Eucharistic discourse, Jesus made this unmistakably clear:

"Indeed this is the will of My Heavenly Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in Him, shall have eternal life. Him I will raise up on the last day." (Jn 6:40)

Spending time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament exposed in a monstrance is like conversing with a friend face-to face, instead of having a closed door between you. Most adorers say that seeing Jesus under the appearance of the Sacred Host is much more conducive to intimacy than when He is enclosed in a tabernacle. Exposition helps adorers (guardians) to be faithful to their scheduled holy hours because they know that Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament cannot be left alone in a monstrance.

"It has been said, and rightly so, that between contemplation and adoration there is so close a union, so mutual a relationship, that they cannot be separated. We adore while contemplating and we contemplate while adoring. The saints in heaven live in perpetual adoration, because their joy is derived from eternal contemplation. On earth, where in some manner we must imitate the life of heaven, Christian devotion has striven to make the Sacred Host the center of perpetual contemplation and adoration, as far as human frailty permits. And both adoration and contemplation have called for perpetual exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The Sacred Host perpetually exposed on its Eucharistic throne, and, before it, day and night, loving souls in adoration and contemplation! Is this not truly heaven on earth?" (From The Holy Eucharist, by Jose Guadalupe Trevino)

Jesus became man two thousand years ago, and desires to remain with us still under the appearance of bread. Our loving God longs to be with His People and to have a personal relationship with them. Jesus remains with us not to be hidden in our tabernacles, but to be made known, loved and adored.

By having Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration with Exposition, we proclaim to our parish communities and the world that Jesus is here! It has been said that the way we worship shows others what we believe. When we expose Him in His Eucharistic Glory then people know we truly believe the Eucharist is really Jesus.

The Church has called upon the faithful to "open wide the doors to Christ." What better way to "open wide the doors" then to unlock the gift of His Eucharistic Presence and Love?

"Come, let the kingdom of Jesus Christ be established in you! Public Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament is God's last grace to man. After Exposition, there is only heaven or hell. Man is attracted to what glitters. Our Lord has ascended a throne; He can be seen and is radiant. We no longer have any excuse. If we forsake our Lord, if we pass by Him without amending our lives, our Lord will go away, and we shall be done for forever. Serve our Lord, therefore, and console Him; light the fire of His love wherever it is not yet burning; work at the establishment of His reign of love. Adveniat regnum tuum, regnum amoris. May Thy kingdom come, Thy kingdom of love!" (St. Peter Julian Eymard)

This is what Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration with Exposition is: giving Jesus, The King of kings, all the love and glory due His name.

At the end of his encyclical on Christ the King, Pope Pius XI says: "The whole world" should "come together to venerate and adore Christ the King hidden under the Sacramental species. Thus by sermons preached, by public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed and by solemn processions, men unite in paying homage to Christ, whom God has given them for their King." "When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony."

Let us fulfill Pope John Paul II's great desire for:" the spread of Perpetual Adoration, with permanent exposition of the Blessed Sacrament ... in all parishes and Christian communities throughout the world." (June 1993 homily at the 45th International Eucharistic Congress in Seville, Spain)

You can be a missionary too and help us to proclaim Jesus Christ, our Eucharistic King, by sending your tax deductible donation of $10.00, $25.00, $50.00, $100.00 or more each month to the address below. Our Missionaries depend completely on your generosity to spread Perpetual Adoration throughout the world.

Contact us to schedule a Missionary, obtain information, and materials in starting Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration:

Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament PO Box 1701, Plattsburgh, NY 12901

Phone: (518) 561-8193 Fax: (518) 566-7103

E-mail: info@acfp2000.com Website: http://www.ACFP2000.com

Start Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in your parish today!