Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament

HAPPY 2000TH BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!

"We fall down in adoration before the Son of God. We unite ourselves in spirit to the wonder of Mary and Joseph. As we adore Christ, born in a stable, we make our own the faith, filled with astonishment, of the shepherds of that time; we feel their same amazement and their same joy." (Pope John Paul II, 1999 Homily at Midnight Mass)

Christ manifests the divine glory more radically through his humanity, assumed in the Incarnation: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). (Pope John Paul II, General Audience, September 27, 2000)

The birth of Jesus at Bethlehem is not an event which can be consigned to the past. The whole of human history in fact stands in reference to him: our own time and the future of the world are illumined by his presence. He is "the Living One" (Rev 1:18), "who is, who was and who is to come" (Rev 1:4). Before him every knee must bend, in the heavens, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim that he is Lord (cf. Phil 2:10-11). In the encounter with Christ, every man discovers the mystery of his own life.(1)

For two thousand years, the Church has been the cradle in which Mary places Jesus and entrusts him to the adoration and contemplation of all peoples. May the humility of the Bride cause to shine forth still more brightly the glory and power of the Eucharist, which she celebrates and treasures in her heart. In the sign of the consecrated Bread and Wine, Christ Jesus risen and glorified, the light of the nations (cf. Lk 2:32), reveals the enduring reality of his Incarnation. He remains living and real in our midst in order to nourish the faithful with his Body and Blood. (Pope John Paul II, Incarnationis Mysterium)

Christmas Meditations for Holy Hours of Adoration:

"Christmas is the season of exchanging gifts with friends; so Our Lord came to exchange gifts. He says to us, as only a good God can say: 'You give Me your humanity and I will give you My Divinity; you give Me your time and I will give you My Eternity; you give Me your weary body and I will give you My Redemption; you give Me your broken heart and I will give you My Love; you give Me your nothingness and I will give you My All.'" (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen)

"Contemplate Jesus lying in His Crib, wrapped in the might of divine peace and redemptive suffering. Mary, kneeling, enraptured, in ecstasy, watches over the Child, over the Eternal One. She meditates on another Bethlehem, on quite another Crib, a crib of apparent repose, but of real and perpetual immolation, the Altar! Looking ahead through the centuries to come, the loving Queen, the sorrowing Virgin contemplates this lasting Bethlehem, indestructible through the ages, where this same adorable Child will be born thousands of times upon the Altar ...Glancing down at her sleeping Child, she beholds the same Jesus"her God"humbled even more in each ciborium, than He is in the manger. The vision of Bethlehem has become reality. On every altar Jesus-Host seems to sleep, and Mary still continues to guard this Eucharistic crib from which Jesus constantly watches over us." (Fr. Mateo Crawley-Boevey)

"Christmas is Christ's Mass ...," "The Christ of Bethlehem ... is the Christ of the Eucharist." (John Cardinal O'Connor)

The Holy Eucharist is the continuation of Christ's incarnation on earth. The mystery of the Eucharist gives us the joy of having Christmas everyday. When we come to the Blessed Sacrament we come to Bethlehem, a name which means 'house of bread.'

"The Eucharist began at Bethlehem in Mary's arms. It was she who brought to humanity the Bread for which it was famishing, and which alone can nourish it." (St. Peter Julian Eymard)

"Let each one get ready... The star is coming to rest!... Let the celebrating begin, Let us adore the Child!..." (From the poem "In the Orient," by St. Therese of Lisieux)

"Consider the humble sacrifice that the shepherds and the three Wise Men made in their long journey to adore the Christ Child. Only the humble shepherds and the wise astrologers followed the star of faith to Bethlehem. He was the King, much greater than they were. No journey was too long because any trouble they had was infinitely worth the sacrifice. When they saw Him, they bowed down before Him. Where was the rest of the world? Who could understand then that the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes was the hidden Incarnate Word of God? He came quietly and lovingly. Only the humble and wise could see the humble Jesus lying in a manger. The rest of the world passed Him by. Look at how God has never stopped honoring the shepherds and the magi for honoring His Son in Bethlehem. The humble sacrifice of their long journey is praised in Scripture. And around the world in every church and Christian home at Christmas, they are included in every Nativity scene. In the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus comes to us even more humbly than He did before. That is why your sacrifice will give God even greater glory than the glory given Him by the shepherds and the three Wise Men. And God will honor you even more than the shepherds and the three Wise Men for all eternity for honoring His Son in the Blessed Sacrament with the humility of your sacrifice!" (From our A-2 pamphlet)

"O COME LET US ADORE HIM," A BIRTHDAY GIFT FOR JESUS! Help us Evangelize for Jesus in The Eucharist and spread Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration throughout the world. Your generous financial contributions will help bring Our Eucharistic King the presence, time and adoration of so many people whom He longs to see! Your donations make it possible for our Missionaries to continue this wonderful worldwide evangelization ministry. Please consider giving a substantial 'Year End Tax Deductible Gift' of $25,$50, $100,$500, $1,000 or more. We will be happy to provide you with a receipt for tax purposes. (Note: Visa and Mastercard accepted)

WE WISH YOU A BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR!

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!