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“I gaze on You in the sanctuary to see Your strength and Your glory” (Psalm 63:2)
“It is up to us … to tell our people where our Risen Savior is. The Blessed Sacrament is Our Risen Savior with all of the power of His love and mercy flowing out to those who come into His presence! This is where we must run, like Peter and John. This is where we must bring everyone. For each holy hour will advance the day when the light of His love and mercy will shine out, and then like Him, His people will be resurrected.” (From the book Letters to a Brother Priest, available through us)
“We have Him so near in the Blessed Sacrament, where He is already glorified and where we don’t have to gaze upon Him as being so tired and worn out, bleeding, wearied by His journeys, persecuted by those for whom He did so much good, and not believed in by the Apostles . . . . Behold Him here without suffering, full of glory, before ascending into heaven, strengthening some, encouraging others, our companion in the most Blessed Sacrament” (St. Teresa of Avila). Ven. Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan was a Vietnamese Cardinal who spent thirteen years in a communist prison. His book The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison is comparable to Imitation of Christ. From the beginning of his confinement, Cardinal Van Thuan’s primary concern was whether or not he would be able to celebrate Mass. Though he was not able to bring anything with him when he was arrested, Cardinal Van Thuan was allowed to write to his family for necessities. He asked them for medicine for a stomach ache. They realized that Cardinal Van Thuan wanted wine to celebrate Mass and sent him some in a bottle marked “medicine for stomach ache”; they also hid hosts in with his clothes. Cardinal Van Thuan reflected:
I shall never be able to express my joy: every day I celebrated Mass with three drops of wine and one of water in the palm of my hand. Every day I was able to kneel before the Cross with Jesus, drink with him his most bitter chalice. Every day, when reciting the consecration, I confirmed with all my heart and with all my soul a new pact, an eternal pact between Jesus and me, through his Blood mixed with mine. They were the most beautiful masses of my life. When Cardinal Van Thuan was later sent to a re-education camp, he and five Catholic prisoners arranged it so that they bunked near each other. Cardinal Van Thuan celebrated Mass in the dark and gave them Communion under the mosquito net. He recounted “I always carried the Eucharistic Christ in the pocket of my shirt.” During the breaks between indoctrination sessions, Cardinal Van Thuan secretly and reverently passed the Holy Eucharist to other groups of prisoners. They all knew Jesus was among them, and he cures all physical and mental sufferings. At night, the prisoners took turns at Adoration. The Eucharistic Christ helps in an unimaginable way with his silent presence: many Catholics began to believe again enthusiastically.
“Oh, how Jesus seems continually to exclaim from the altar: Come to Me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you (Matt. xi. 28). Come, He says, come, ye poor: come, ye infirm; come, ye just and ye sinners, and you shall find in me a remedy for all your losses and afflictions: such is the desire of Jesus Christ; to console every one who has recourse to Him, He remains day and night on our altars, that He may be found by all, and that He may bestow favors upon all.” (From the meditations of St. Alphonsus Liguori for Corpus Christi). St. Anthony of Padua: Eucharistic Miracle A man named Bonvillo did not believe in the Eucharist and mocked people who did. St. Anthony challenged him, saying, “If the mule you often ride were to adore the true Body of Christ under the appearance of bread, would you believe in the truth of the Lord’s Sacrament?” Bonvillo said “Yes.” In a few days they placed the Blessed Sacrament and hay in front of the mule. Bonvillo didn’t give the mule food for two days. On the day of the test Bonvillo led the mule before a crowd. When they were a few steps away from the Eucharist, Bonvillo placed a bag of hay under the mule’s nose, but the mule turned his head and knelt in Adoration! Even Bonvillo saw that the Holy Eucharist is Jesus—Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity—and believed.
Holy Thursday—April 1: “[Holy Thursday], the day on which He instituted the adorable Sacrament of the Eucharist! That was the most beautiful day of our Lord’s life. It was the greatest day of His love and tenderness. Jesus was on the point of perpetuating His Presence in our midst. His love on the Cross was boundless, it is true, but there would be an end to His sufferings, and Good Friday was to last only one day. Holy Thursday would endure to the end of time. Jesus made Himself the Sacrament of Himself forever.” (St. Peter Julian Eymard)
CHAPLET OF REPARATION FOR PRIESTS
Good Friday—April 2: “We adore you, Jesus, and we thank you, for you make truly present in the Eucharist the mystery of that unique gift you offered to the Father 2,000 years ago with your sacrifice on the Cross, a sacrifice that redeemed the whole of humanity and all creation” (St. John Paul II). (Start the Divine Mercy Novena today!) View it at the bottom of “The Eucharist and Divine Mercy” section of our website at: http://www.acfp2000.com/Mercy/mercy.html
Holy Saturday—April 3: “Sometimes Eucharistic contemplation just means keeping Jesus company, being there under His gaze, giving Him the joy of contemplating us, too. Although we are but useless creatures and sinners, we are still the fruit of His passion for whom He gave His life” (Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa).
The Resurrection of Our Lord—April 4: When we come to the Eucharist, we come to the Resurrection, for this is where our Risen Savior dwells! When we come before Our Eucharistic Lord in Adoration He showers us with an outpouring of His healing love, mercy and grace. We must run to Him and bring everyone with us. Every Holy Hour of Adoration we make will shorten the time until He will bring about a new day, the resurrection of His people, His church, and His world! He is “the Lamb on the throne” who shepherds us, He is the source of “life-giving water” who “will wipe every tear” from our eyes (Rev 7:17). Through our Eucharistic Adoration we witness to His resurrection and tell the world: “He is risen ... He is here!” (Lk 24:34). “My strength and my courage is the Lord and He has been my Savior!” (Is 12:2).
Divine Mercy Sunday—April 11: “[Daily] adore in the Most Blessed Sacrament My Heart, which is full of mercy.” “I do not want to punish an aching mankind, but desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart” (Jesus to St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in my Soul).
St. Bernadette, Lourdes Visionary and Nun, France (1844-1879),—April 16: “Inexhaustible treasures of grace are opened to you through the Eucharist and its influence in your lives should increase” (St. Bernadette)
St. Anselm, Bishop, Philosopher, and Doctor of the Church, Italy (1033-1109)—April 21: “I adore and venerate you as much as ever I can, though my love is so cold, my devotion so poor. Thank you for the good gift of this your holy Body and Blood, which I desire to receive.” (St. Anselm)
St. Gianna Beretta Molla, Wife, Mother, Doctor, Italy (1922-1962)—April 28 St. Gianna wrote “Smile at Jesus who you approach at Mass, in Holy Communion and in Eucharistic Adoration.” She brought the love of Jesus Eucharistic to her family, patients and youth in her care.
St. Louis Marie de Montfort, Priest, Missionary, France (1673-1716)—April 28: “As Mary is the treasurer and dispenser of the gifts and graces of the Most High God, she reserves a choice portion, indeed the choicest portion, to nourish and sustain her children and servants. They grow strong on the Bread of Life; they are made joyful with the wine that brings forth virgins. They are carried at her breast. They bear with ease the yoke of Christ scarcely feeling its weight because of the oil of devotion with which she has softened its wood.”
St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Church Doctor, Patroness of Italy (1347-1380)—April 29: “Father, I am hungry; for the love of God give this soul her food, her Lord in the Eucharist.”(St. Catherine of Siena)
St. Joseph the Worker—May 1: “To be like St. Joseph, you, too, need to adore Christ. You can go to the nearest Catholic church where Jesus is present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in the Blessed Sacrament. The Eucharist is Jesus Christ. The Blessed Sacrament is the source and summit of the Christian faith, and St. Joseph wants to lead you to a deeper relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist.” (Consecration to St. Joseph, Father Donald H. Calloway, MIC) “We must beg for good adorers; the Blessed Sacrament needs them to replace St. Joseph and to imitate his life of adoration.” (St. Peter Julian Eymard) St. Joseph, pray for us! Order our St. Joseph prayer card today!
Sts. Philip and James the Lesser, Apostles—May 3: In the Divine Office for today, it reads: “The Apostles held fast to Christ’s message.” Sts. Philip and James, pray for us to remain faithful and share the gift of our belief in Jesus Eucharistic with others!
Mother’s Day—May 9: Honor your Mother, love her, pray for her!
St. Damien Joseph of Molokai, Apostle to the Lepers, Belgium (1840-1889)—May 10: “The Blessed Sacrament is indeed the stimulus for us all, for me as it should be for you, to forsake all worldly ambitions.” (St. Damien) One of the first things Damien did when he arrived at the leper colony of Molokai was build a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, where the lepers experienced Jesus’ love, joy and peace.
Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady of Fatima—May 13: According to the Fatima messages, if Our Lady’s requests are heeded, there will be great graces and mercy poured upon our world resulting in a new era of peace. The Immaculate Heart of Mary will triumph, and these promises will be fulfilled, when the Eucharistic Heart of her Son Jesus reigns throughout the world in Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament! Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us! A pamphlet, card, CDs, posters, and medals of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament and an Our Lady of Fatima prayer card and CDs are available through us.
St. Isidore the Farmer and St. Maria, Spouses, Parents, Spain (12th century)—Feast, May 15: This married couple of poor farmers from Madrid, had a great love of God which was passed on to them by their parents. They rose early to attend daily mass. They continued their faithful love of God even after their only son died young. They devoted their lives to God through prayer and service to the poor!
The Ascension of the Lord—May 16: “Eucharistic Adoration is an expression of our love for Jesus, who loves us so much that He never wants to leave us and so stays with us day and night in the Blessed Sacrament. For He says: “Behold I am with you always,” because “I have loved you with an everlasting love. And constant is my affection for you.” (Mt 28: 20; Jer31:3) (From our A-11 pamphlet, “What is the Eucharist?”)
St. Paschal Baylon, Patron of Eucharistic Congresses, Spain (1540-1592)—Feast, May 17: “God is as really present in the consecrated Host as He is in the glory of Heaven.” (St. Paschal)
St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest and Patron of Advertisers, Italy (1380- 1444)—Feast, May 20: “The last degree of love is when he [Jesus] gave himself to us to be our food; because he gave himself to be united with us in every way, as food and he who takes it are mutually united” (St. Bernardine).
St. Rita of Cascia, Wife, Mother, Nun, Patroness of Impossible Cases, Italy (1381-1457)—May 22: Many prayers invoking the intercession of St. Rita extol her love of Our Lord in the most Blessed Sacrament. One of the prayers in her litany says, “St Rita, in ecstasy before the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.”
Pentecost —May 23: “The apostles were gathered around Mary in prayer . . . when the Holy Spirit descended upon them as tongues of fire, that same fire of divine love that inflames the Heart of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist where the very “love of God is poured into our hearts.” The Holy Eucharist is the “new and everlasting covenant,”the “sacrament of unity,”the “bond of love” between God and man. (From Rosary Meditations, available through us)
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church—May 24: “You are the Mother of the Eucharist because you are the mother of grace.You, more than all others after your Son, were aware of this sacrament hidden from the ages.” (John Gerson)
St. Philip Neri, Priest, Patron of Rome, Oratory Founder, Italy (1515-1595)—May 26: St. Philip helped keep Protestantism from spreading through Europe by the promotion of Eucharistic Adoration, his work catechizing young people, and his priestly ministry of preaching and teaching on the Real Presence of Jesus.
The Most Holy Trinity— May 30: “From the heights of the Trinity, the incarnate Word descends to man in the Eucharist so that through Communion man might rise up to his final end, the adorable Trinity.” (Bernadot)
The Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth—May 31: “Blessed is she who believed” (Lk 1:45): “As John the Baptist recognized Jesus hidden in the womb of Mary, the first tabernacle of the Lord, so we now recognize Jesus hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, the mystery of our faith.” (From our pamphlet “Eucharistic Rosary Meditations,” A-13)
Corpus Christi, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ—June 6: Adore Jesus in the Holy Eucharist! “Set the Eucharist at the centre of your personal life and community life: love the Eucharist, adore the Eucharist and celebrate it . . . The world must not be deprived of the gentle and liberating presence of Christ living in the Eucharist! You yourselves must be fervent witnesses to Christ’s presence on the altar” (St. John Paul II).
St. Michael of the Saints, Trinitarian Priest, Cancer Patron, Spain (1591-1625)—June 8: St. Michael bore a great love for the Blessed Sacrament at Mass and Adoration, which kindled his love for the poor and sick. His solicitude for others continues after his death; cancer cures are attributed to his intercession. He is often depicted in adoration before Our Lord in the monstrance.
St. Ephrem of Syria, Deacon, Doctor of the Church, Iraq (d. 373)—June 9: “Do not now regard as bread that which I have given you; but take, eat this Bread and do not scatter the crumbs; for what I have called My Body, that it is indeed. One particle from its crumbs is able to sanctify thousands and thousands, and is sufficient to afford life to those who eat of it. Take, eat, entertaining no doubt of faith, because this is My Body, and whoever eats it in belief eats in it Fire and Spirit” (St. Ephrem).
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus—June 11: “It is pleasant to spend time with him, to lie close to his breast like the Beloved Disciple (cf. Jn 13:25) and to feel the infinite love present in his heart” (St. John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 25).
Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary—June 12: “The most Blessed Mother of Mercy and Consolation, in the boundless charity of her maternal Heart, gave us her dear Jesus at his birth, and does so continually in the Holy Eucharist” (St. John Eudes).
Happy Father’s Day—June 20: Honor your father, love him, pray for him! St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Patron of Youth, Jesuit Seminarian, Italy (1568-1591)—June 21: “Delight of the Blessed Virgin, Pray for us. Most chaste youth, Pray for us Desirous of the salvation of souls, Pray for us. Perpetual adorer of the Holy Eucharist, Pray for us.” (Litany)
Sts. John Fisher (1469-1535) & Thomas More, England (1478-1535), Martyrs—June 22: St. John wrote to someone who left the Church: “Had you but tasted one drop of the sweetness which inebriates the souls of those religious from their worship of this Sacrament, you would never have written as you have, nor have apostatized from the faith that you formerly professed.” St. John defended the Real Presence of Jesus. His unwillingness to recognize Henry VIII’s remarriage led to his beheading, in the same year as St. Thomas More’s.
The Birth of St. John the Baptist—June 24:“Behold the Lamb of God!” Adore Him! “We do well also to invoke the intercession of the Lord’s great precursor [St. John the Baptist], now adoring Him perpetually in this Sacrament. We should ask him to win for us a share in the joy that filled him even while still in Elizabeth’s womb” (Fr. Richard Foley, S.J.).
St. Irenaeus, Bishop, Church Father, Apologist, France (2nd century)—June 28: “How can anyone say that our bodies, which are nourished on the flesh and blood of Christ, are brought to perdition? Our bodies, tasting of the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, but have the hope of resurrection.”
Sts. Peter and Paul—June 29 “St. Paul tells us that when he was in Athens he found written on an altar: To the unknown God. But I, alas! might say the contrary to you. I preach to you a God whom you do not adore, and whom you know to be your God. Alas! how many Christians are pressed for time, and only condescend to come for a few short moments to visit their Saviour who burns with the desire to see them near him and to tell them that he loves them, and who wants to load them with blessings” (St. John Vianney).
We wish you a Happy and Blessed Easter Season! Prayer Intentions: Please send us the names of your family, loved ones, priests, religious, suffering, dying & other intentions you would like us to pray for in our daily masses, and Holy Hours throughout the Easter Season before Jesus, Our Eucharistic King, Lord and Savior! Please be generous with your donations. Remember us when you receive your tax refund and stimulus checks. Gifts of $100.00, $50.00, $25.00, $10.00, or more will help spread Eucharistic Adoration! _____________________ ______________________ _____________________ We need your prayers and financial help more urgently than ever to continue this important ministry! Help us spread Eucharistic Adoration, please be generous. (Visa / MC accepted) M.B.S., P.O. Box 1701, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518)561-8193 www.acfp2000.com Start Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in your parish or community today! Copyright, M.B.S. All rights reserved |
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