Liturgy & The Joy of Holy Communion

-
Ordinariate Mass at the National Shrine in D.C. | 3 August 2023 NLM

[ 2 minute read ]

What greater joy hath we mortals than that of sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ, rapt in His mercy and grateful for the eternal life He offers to those who keep His commandments of love?

The Mass is truly the source and summit of the Christian life. Therein lies our origin and destination, our life, our sweetness and our hope... to borrow a line. We converse with the Lord, witness His Sacrifice, share in His life, sing with the angels, and revel with the saints.

The Church teaches that the Mass is Jesus Present in four ways (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #7):

  1. in the person of the priest, His icon, through whom Christ acts to receive our offerings of self to transform those gifts, symbolized by the bread and wine, and make Himself truly Present;
  2. through the word of God, Holy Scripture;
  3. in the congregation gathered in His Name, the body of Christ, the people of God;
  4. and most sublimely in the Holy Eucharist, His very Body and Blood offered to us for our salvation, our healing and purification.
Christ becomes entirely vulnerable in the Mass. How can we not welcome Him into our hearts, into our minds, into our bodies when we receive the Holy Eucharist which is Jesus fully Present?
CCC 1374 | The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend." In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained." "This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present."

Are we not obliged to acknowledge the Presence of Jesus with the utmost reverence we can muster? We can beseech the Father for the grace to adore His Son with hearts ablaze with love and thanksgiving.

Comments

Post a Comment

Your comments will be appreciated and posted if 1) they are on topic and 2) preserve decorum.

Stand by your word. Do not be anonymous. Use a pseudonym.

Popular posts from this blog

20 Additional Signs You Might Just Be In A(n) Heterodox Parish

-
Image
AI generated image. Prompt: Female minister dancing on altar with incense. The Sign of Peace becomes the Dance of Peace. The tabernacle is not anywhere to be seen. There's no business like show business like no business I know. Everything about it is appealing, everything the pastor will allow. Nowhere could you get that happy feeling when you are stealing that extra bow. Blessings of couples in irregular unions doesn't even come close to describing the oddities going on. The altar doubles as a billiard table that is used during meetings of the Knights of Columbus . Unsanctioned modifications to the Mass include they/them pronouns for God and the saints. The statues of Mary and Joseph have been replaced with Murray and Joseph. Traditional liturgical colors have been replaced with an alphabet soup of washed-out tints carefully selected by the Parish Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Council. The favoured incense is Social Justice Blend... for "High" Mass. Votive and al
Read more

You Know You're In A Progressive Catholic Parish When... .

-
Image
... you rarely (if ever) hear the following phrases. "Party like it's A.D. 1570!" "We should sing more plainchant at this parish." "I'd like to thank the choir for their sublime rendition of the Mass For Five Voices by William Byrd." "I just love the way the four torchbearers process in with such dignity." "People treat the Host like a snack. I think it's time we went back to communion on the tongue." "My entire family goes to Confession every week." "We need a central Tabernacle on the altar." "The altar servers' lace cottas are so beautiful." "I just love Father Steve's sermons about the Real Presence and living a Eucharistic life." "People are leaving in droves for Saint Pius X Parish and the reverent Mass there. Do you think we're doing something wrong here at Harvey Milk Parish?" "I'm thrilled that the design for the new church includes a choir loft.
Read more

A Meditation: Virtue Versus Hollywood Values

-
Image
Napa Institute Procession, Oct. 10, 2023 | Zach Fiedler According to Catholic Church teachings, virtue is defined as: A stable disposition of the intellect and will that governs our actions, orders our passions, and guides our conduct in accordance with reason and faith. [1,2] Virtues are habitual and firm dispositions to do good. [3] They are not just random good deeds, but a deep-rooted goodness that becomes an integral part of a person's character. [3] Virtues enable us to freely choose the right course of action and have a tendency towards what is good. [3] There are human virtues, such as the four cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. [1] These virtues order our lives in society. [6] There are also theological virtues, which raise us to a divine life, such as faith, hope, and charity. [5] The goal of virtuous living is to become like God - to grow in holiness and moral perfection. [5] Virtues are not just acquired through human effort, but also by t
Read more

That 70s Vatican Show

-
Image
Satire may be mad and anarchic, but it presupposes an admitted superiority in certain things over others; it presupposes a standard. -  G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy A poke at folk whose actions past and present could invite considerably more. (T)he real disloyalty is not speaking the truth with love. And that word “love” is not some free-floating balloon of goodwill. It’s an empty shell without the truth to fill it. In Brazil in 2013, the Holy Father encouraged young people to “make a mess.” That’s come to pass in ways surely unintended by the pope. But in the end, pastoral leaders are accountable for their words and their actions. Because, as St. Paul said so long ago, “God is not the author of confusion but of peace.” - Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., is the Archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia Afflict the comfortable; comfort the afflicted. That 70s Vatican Show , a fashion extravaganza, featured designs promoting a rabid retro vibe. Organizer Fr. James Martin SJ, taking his cue from t
Read more
Every effort is made herein this blog to conform to the teaching of the Church - Quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est. Comments are welcome.