Bread of Life

BREAD OF LIFE
 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. (john 6: 50)
The miracle of God’s physical presence to us at every Mass is the truest testament to Christ’s love for us and His desire for each of us to have a personal relationship with Him. Jesus Christ celebrated the first Mass with His disciples at the Last Supper, the night before He died. He commanded His disciples, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). The celebration of the Mass then became the main form of worship in the early Church, as a reenactment of the Last Supper, as Christ had commanded. Each and every Mass since commemorates Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross through the Holy Eucharist. Because the Mass “re-presents” (makes present) the sacrifice on Calvary, Catholics all around the world join together to be made present in Christ’s timeless sacrifice for our sins. There is something fascinating about continuing to celebrate the same Mass—instituted by Christ and practiced by the early Church—with the whole community of Catholics around the world…and in heaven.

THE REAL PRESENCE

Why does the Catholic Church believe Christ is really present in the Eucharist?
The Catholic doctrine of the Real Presence is the belief that Jesus Christ is literally, not symbolically, present in the Holy Eucharist—body, blood, soul and divinity. Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist because Jesus tells us this is true in the Bible:

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” - John 6:48-56
Furthermore, the early Church Fathers either imply or directly state that the bread and wine offered in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is really the body and blood of Jesus Christ. In other words, the doctrine of the Real Presence that Catholics believe today was believed by the earliest Christians 2,000 years ago!

This miracle of God’s physical presence to us at every Mass is the truest testament to Christ’s love for us and His desire for each of us to have a personal relationship with Him.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

THE MARY VERSES

Many people put the Mother of Jesus down as often as they can, thinking that by degrading her they are somehow building up Jesus. They say things like "Mary is dead and can't help you", "Mary was just an incubator for Jesus", "Jesus put his mother down by calling her "Woman, and "If Mary had refused Gabriel, then God would have just picked someone else".
All of that kind of talk is crazy, but they do it because they think that Catholics worship Mary as a goddess, and by putting her down, they are showing Catholics that Jesus is #1.

How many people would like it if you said - "I love you, but I really can't stand your mother". And how many people regularly put down their own mother to reinforce the fact that their Dad is #1? No one. Jesus called her "Woman" all of the time to let us all know that she is the new Eve (Adam named his mate "Woman") who's yes to Gabriel overcame Eve's yes to lucifer.

Most of the time in the Bible, God chooses to do His work through a human, whether it's Moses, Jacob, Joseph of the Old Testament, or one of the Prophets like Isaiah or Elisha. It's no different with Mary. God allowed salvation in the person of Jesus Christ to enter into the world through Mary, even though he could have just appeared all on his own.

In like manner, it shows great humility on our part to approach Jesus in the exact same way that He approached us - Through Mary. After all, if Jesus was obedient to Mary for 30 years of his life here on earth, shouldn't we imitate Him in that respect? If Mary was good enough for Jesus, who are we to say that she isn't good enough for us? Jesus Himself said that "No servant is greater than His Master".

If one is lost and needs to get somewhere, the best thing to do is to find someone who knows the way better than anyone else. Most of mankind is lost, and needs to find Jesus. Mary is the one person who knows the way better than anyone else, because she and Jesus shared the same body for 9 months, Jesus was subject to her for 30 years, they probably even look alike, and they are of one accord.

Getting close to Mary is the fastest and best way to get close to Jesus. It's pure folly to even think that by getting close to Mary you are somehow getting farther away from Jesus. Jesus got his sacred Body and his precious Blood from MARY!

Catholics never have worshiped Mary as a goddess, but we do recognize that her soul, like every other soul ever made, is very much alive. People who say that Mary is dead sound more like atheists than like Christians. Mary says that her soul "magnifies the Lord", which makes Jesus clearer, more in focus, and larger.

That's a great lens to be looking at Jesus through. According to Gabriel, Mary was full of grace before the incarnation of Jesus, which indicates that Mary was part of the heavenly plan all along, not a random choice.
Mary is the daughter of God the Father, the bride of the Holy Spirit, and the mother of Jesus. That would make it almost blasphemous to put her down on every occasion. As Gabriel said, in a message from God, "Hail Mary!" Catholics agree wholeheartedly with Gabriel!

Here are some scripture quotes that refer to the Mother of God.

At enmity with satan

Genesis 3:15: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Christ will be born of a virgin

Isaiah 7:14:Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.


Full of Grace before the incarnation

Luke 1:26-28:in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!"

Mary sanctifies the greatest man (John the Baptist) while he is still in the womb

Luke 1:15:for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
Luke 1:41:And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Mary's Blessed Fruit

Luke 1:42:and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Luke 6:43-44: For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.

Mary is the Mother of God

Luke 1:43:And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Mary's need of a savior

Luke 1:47: and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Most Blessed Woman of all time

Luke 1:48: for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;

What God has done for her

Luke 1:49: for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Mary's sufferings united with Jesus'

Luke 2:34-35:and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."

Mary's total obedience to God more important than her motherhood

Luke 11:27-28:As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

Mary's role in intercession with Jesus

John 2:3-5:When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you.

Mary is our Mother

John 19:26-27: When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Revelation 12:17:Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Mary and Jesus are united as one (as are all of the saints in heaven)

1 Corinthians 6:17: But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

Mary, the New Testament Ark of the Covenant

Revelation 11:19-12:1:Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;

Mary's body is in heaven

Revelation 12:1:And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;

Mary is Queen of Heaven

Revelation 12:1:And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;

Still at enmity with Satan

Revelation 12:17:Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

BLESSED BE YOUR PURITY

Blessed be your purity,
May it be blessed forever,
For no less than God takes delight,
In such exalted beauty.
To you, heavenly Princess,
Holy Virgin Mary,
I offer on this day

My whole heart, life and soul.
Look upon me with compassion,
Do not leave me, my Mother.

Unknown said...

HAIL MARY

Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.


Amen.

Anonymous said...

Mary, holy virgin mother, I have received your Son, Jesus Christ.

With love you became his mother, gave birth to him, nursed him, and helped him grow to manhood. With love I return him to you, to hold once more, to love with all your heart, and to offer to the Holy Trinity as our supreme act of worship for your honor and for the good of all your pilgrim brothers and sisters.

Mother, ask God to forgive my sins and to help me serve him more faithfully.

Keep me true to Christ until death, and let me come to praise him with you forever and ever. Amen.