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, April 25, 2016

FIVE WAYS TO INCREASE PATIENCE

FR. ED BROOM, OMV

None of us can claim to have mastered perfectly the virtue of patience. We think we have made a major victory in acquiring patience, and then, out of the blue and taken by surprise, we explode! Our illusion of being the most patient person in the world went up in smoke!

Patience is so important that Jesus Christ, our model in all virtues, said: “By your patience you will save your souls.” One pious soul prayed in desperation: “Lord, give me patience and right now!” Maybe this has been your prayer for the last few years!

Our patience can be tested by various times and circumstances, in season and out of season. The failure of health, economic set-backs, family members that could put the holy Job to the test, weather extremes, failed and broken relationships, and even God. Sometimes it seems as if God is extremely distant, does not seem to hear my prayers, or at least seems to be uninterested or indifferent to my pleadings. All of the above can try my patience.

What then are ways that we can acquire the all-important virtue of patience, that as Jesus reminds us, is necessary for the salvation of our immortal souls? We will offer five concrete ways that we can attain patience.

1. PRAYER.

St. Ignatius insists that we must beg for grace. St. Augustine humbly reminds us that we are all beggars before God. God is willing to give if we simply persevere in asking Him. Remember the persistent widow who gained the favor of the callous and cold-hearted judge for the simple reason that she kept begging for his help. “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mt. 7:7)

2. JESUS’ LIFE.

Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” There is a saying: “Tell me with whom you associate and I will tell you who you are.” If we spend time meditating on the Gospels and the words, gestures, and actions of Jesus, then it will rub off on us. We will start to imitate Jesus more and more and specifically in the virtue of patience.

3. PASSION OF CHRIST.

Many saints had a magnetic drawing of their hearts to read and meditate upon the greatest love story in the world. “No greater love than to die for the loved ones.” A constant meditation on the Passion, suffering, crucifixion, and death of Jesus can prove to be an infinite source of blessings and key to open up the door of patience to the most hardened of hearts.

4. TRIALS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

Then when the trials descend upon us like a torrential deluge, call to mind some element of the Passion of Christ, either from the Gospels, or the works of writers such as Anne Catherine Emmerick. The trial will be viewed in a more universal and supernatural perspective.

The trial that has visited me indeed is very painful, but, in comparison to what Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has gone through, it is a mere trifle. Also I suffer trials partially as a result of my own sinfulness and sinful past, but Jesus suffered the most excruciating pains being the epitome and essence of Innocence.

We can all choose one element or detail of the Passion of Christ that seems to have struck us most and elicit this scene when my patience is put to the bitter test! The love of Jesus can move me to carry patiently the most burdensome crosses! As St. Paul states: “The love of Christ compels us.”

5. MARY, OUR LADY OF SORROWS.

One essential element in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ was the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary throughout the entire course of the film. Only second to Jesus was Mary in the intensity of suffering.

The film portrays Our Lady of Sorrows along the way of Calvary accompanying Jesus in His most bitter trial. Mary stood at the foot of the cross, patience to a heroic degree.

Mary practiced patience her whole life: travelling to Bethlehem, fleeing to Egypt, seeking out her lost Son for three long days, losing her beloved husband Saint Joseph, and accompanying her beloved Son Jesus, seeing Him crucified, and staying with Him until He drew His last, dying breath.

When our patience is put to the test, then we should lift up our eyes, mind, heart and soul to Our Lady, and she will acquire for us heroic patience.

All of us struggle on a daily basis to be patient with others, with ourselves, with circumstances and, at times, even with God. Patience is so essential to our lives that Jesus even said: “By your patience you will save your souls.” Let us use the arms we have in our arsenal to attain the all-important virtue of patience.

Let us pray as beggars to the most generous giver, God. Let us draw close to Jesus the “Holy of Holies”. Let us meditate on the Passion of Christ and when opportunities to practice patience surface, to call to mind all that Jesus suffered for the world and for me. Finally, may Our Lady of Sorrows attain for me a meek, humble and patient heart!

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