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.

Monday, July 18, 2011

O JESUS MY DIVINE SAVIOUR

O my divine saviour, love is what that drew You down here to this poor earth, into the womb of Your dearest mother. Love is was that laid You down as a Child on the poor straw; love it was that moved you to go to go to Your death for us and die on the cross; and love it was that caused Your Heart to be pierced and opened.

O, when I consider this infinite and boundless Love of Yours then my heart is seized with shame, repentance and sorrow, for it loves You so little, it is cold and hard as stone, it does not burn with the fire of Holy Love.
Whatever comes close to fire is seized by it, warmed and enkindled by it. I am close to You, O JESUS, close to Your Heart that burns with love – and yet my heart remains cold, remains untouched.
O JESUS, what must I do, so that love will seize my heart? What must I do, so that for once the fire of my love will be ignited? I do not want to be counted as those who disdain Your Love, who flee from You, who despise You. I want to love you with a whole and undivided heart. I know indeed that those without love remain in death. But You want me to live. Therefore, send a beam of Your Love from Your most loving Heart to penetrate my heart, and it will, it must be ignited. And yet O JESUS that does not satisfy my desire.
I wish to throw myself into the furnace of love which is Your most Sacred Heart, so I may be utterly engulfed by the fire of love. For Your Heart has been opened so that I may enter. O let me enter and find there the precious treasure of love. For You are rich in love; the fire that burns in Your Heart will not diminish, even though the hearts of all mankind should be ignited from it. But I am poor in love. And yet You have heard the prayers of the poor. O give me love, and I will love and be content. JESUS make me love You and You alone, with all my soul, with all my heart. St Gertrude the Great.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The King Of Love My Shepherd Is
St. Columba

The King of Love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness fails me never;
I nothing lack if I am His,
and He is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow
With gentle care He leads me,
And where the verdant pastures grow
With Heav'nly food He feeds me.

Perverse and foolish I have strayed
But yet in love He sought me,
and on His shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing brought me.

In death's dark vale I fear no ill
With You, dear Lord, beside me,
Your rod and staff my comfort still,
Your Cross before to guide me.

You spread a table in my sight,
Your saving grace bestowing;
And O what joy and true delight
From Your pure chalice flowing!

And so through all the length of days
Your goodness fails me never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Your praise
Within Your house forever

July 20, 2011 at 5:44 AM

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