After an hiatus...here are my thoughts on the Holy Eucharist:
When I am at Mass, I wonder how many of my brothers and sisters in the pews realize what a wonderful miracle we are blessed to witness at each Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Based on the nonchalant attitude I see from many: saying amen even before the priest says the Body of Christ, chewing on the Holy Host like its a piece of bubble gum, not spending time in prayer afterward to thank The Lord for coming inside of them as "we are not worthy that he should enter under my roof.", and not going to confession before receiving as if they have no sins on their soul. No big deal!
Now I am not placing any judgment on others, rather I only wish that more of us who are Catholic would realize what we are privileged to witness every time we gather for Mass. Venerable Fulton Sheen said: "He willed to give us the very life we slew; to give us the very Food we destroyed; to nourish us with the very Bread we buried, and the very Blood we poured forth. He made our very crime into a happy fault; He turned a Crucifixion into a Redemption; a Consecration into a Communion; a death into Life Everlasting," (Sheen, )
A consecration into a communion! What a beautiful image! The Lord of Our Salvation willed that his arms would be nailed to the cross to be the consecration to his Father for reparation for OUR sins! His arms were open to open wide the doors to heaven for those who believe in Him without compromise. His arms were not only open to save us but to embrace us!
I remind my students at every Mass we have at school to reflect on the wonderful grace of receiving Christ in the Holy Eucharist. You and I become a tabernacle after receiving Him. He is held inside of us. He becomes a part of us, permeating every part of our being.
Are you prepared to receive Him?
"O Sacrament most Holy,
O Sacrament Divine,
All praise and all thanksgiving,
Be every moment Thine."
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Friday, December 27, 2013
Why am I Catholic?
+ Jesus, Mary, & Joseph
Often, I am asked this question by my students. I have to be honest, I had to stop and think about it. The easy answer would be: "Well, my parents and practically my whole family is Catholic, so that is why I am Catholic." That would be an answer though, that does not get to the heart of why I am Catholic.
Being a Catholic is full of challenges that are often difficult to follow, as we are called to follow Christ. Our Lord came into a world that was not ready to hear his message. He was not popular because his message was one about giving a better life to the poor, embracing the leper, comforting the widow, loving the discarded, and making society accountable for those things that they believe are right, but go directly against what God wants for us. That is what He was all about and in turn what the Church is all about.
The Church upholds teachings that are not popular and in fact go against what society says is right. Why is that? Some would say because it is out of touch with the world. I would have to argue the exact opposite: it is in touch with the world! It is in touch with a world is longing for God, but is so far away from Him that they cannot believe that He would want it back. The Church remains the light in the world that says: "Yes! The Father loves you and wants you back! Repent your sins!" Sins? You mean that we have to be accountable for what we do wrong? No thanks! Keep your God! We do not need him, especially when we have to be accountable.
Being a Catholic is not easy because we go against that which is popular and trendy at the time in our society. Our Lord came to proclaim the Kingdom of God and warned us that we would be persecuted for his names sake. And so it becomes true. The road to the Kingdom of God is definitely not straight. In order to get there we will have to walk the path of Calvary. And when we reach the top, will we be like the apostles who ran away when the going got tough or will we be like the Blessed Mother who embraced the cross?
We are called to be the Church Militant: the Church, the Mystical Body, exists on this earth, and is called the Church militant, because its members struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil (Most,1990) and so we will struggle against the world. That is alright by me.
When I was confirmed, I agreed that I held the beliefs of the Church as my own. I took ownership of it and no longer was it the faith of my parents, but mine alone. Sometimes, I wish we still received the little tap on the cheek when we were confirmed so that we had the physical reminder that we were now Soldiers for the Faith. Soldiers do not run away when it is difficult, they run headlong into the fray not worried about their safety, but more concerned with protecting that which they are called to protect. This Soldier of the Faith is ready to stand up, be counted, and is prepared to protect his faith.
When I proclaim my credo at Mass every Sunday I am saying I believe what the Church teaches, without comprise. Some may think that I am in turn just a robot and have no mind of my own. Don't you want your freedom! How can you let others make decisions for you? I can hear them say.
My friend I do want my freedom and I have my freedom! Freedom from a world that is so confused that anything goes even if it is wrong or morally incorrect.
How can I let others think for me? My friend, the Church is 2000 years old, many of the struggles I am dealing with now, have been tackled by some of the greatest men and women in human history. Remember St. Augustine? St Thomas Aquinas? St. Teresa of Avila? St. John of the Cross? Blessed Teresa of Calcutta? Just to name few! If listening to the wisdom of these men and women who have struggled with their faith and the world around them makes me unpopular with the world, so be it!
So there it is. Why am I Catholic? It is my faith. It is what sustains me in my difficult times. It is what guides me in a world of confusion. It is that which gives me hope!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Reference:
Most , W. (1990). The catholic church is the mystical body of christ. Retrieved from http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/chura1.htm
Often, I am asked this question by my students. I have to be honest, I had to stop and think about it. The easy answer would be: "Well, my parents and practically my whole family is Catholic, so that is why I am Catholic." That would be an answer though, that does not get to the heart of why I am Catholic.
Being a Catholic is full of challenges that are often difficult to follow, as we are called to follow Christ. Our Lord came into a world that was not ready to hear his message. He was not popular because his message was one about giving a better life to the poor, embracing the leper, comforting the widow, loving the discarded, and making society accountable for those things that they believe are right, but go directly against what God wants for us. That is what He was all about and in turn what the Church is all about.
The Church upholds teachings that are not popular and in fact go against what society says is right. Why is that? Some would say because it is out of touch with the world. I would have to argue the exact opposite: it is in touch with the world! It is in touch with a world is longing for God, but is so far away from Him that they cannot believe that He would want it back. The Church remains the light in the world that says: "Yes! The Father loves you and wants you back! Repent your sins!" Sins? You mean that we have to be accountable for what we do wrong? No thanks! Keep your God! We do not need him, especially when we have to be accountable.
Being a Catholic is not easy because we go against that which is popular and trendy at the time in our society. Our Lord came to proclaim the Kingdom of God and warned us that we would be persecuted for his names sake. And so it becomes true. The road to the Kingdom of God is definitely not straight. In order to get there we will have to walk the path of Calvary. And when we reach the top, will we be like the apostles who ran away when the going got tough or will we be like the Blessed Mother who embraced the cross?
We are called to be the Church Militant: the Church, the Mystical Body, exists on this earth, and is called the Church militant, because its members struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil (Most,1990) and so we will struggle against the world. That is alright by me.
When I was confirmed, I agreed that I held the beliefs of the Church as my own. I took ownership of it and no longer was it the faith of my parents, but mine alone. Sometimes, I wish we still received the little tap on the cheek when we were confirmed so that we had the physical reminder that we were now Soldiers for the Faith. Soldiers do not run away when it is difficult, they run headlong into the fray not worried about their safety, but more concerned with protecting that which they are called to protect. This Soldier of the Faith is ready to stand up, be counted, and is prepared to protect his faith.
When I proclaim my credo at Mass every Sunday I am saying I believe what the Church teaches, without comprise. Some may think that I am in turn just a robot and have no mind of my own. Don't you want your freedom! How can you let others make decisions for you? I can hear them say.
My friend I do want my freedom and I have my freedom! Freedom from a world that is so confused that anything goes even if it is wrong or morally incorrect.
How can I let others think for me? My friend, the Church is 2000 years old, many of the struggles I am dealing with now, have been tackled by some of the greatest men and women in human history. Remember St. Augustine? St Thomas Aquinas? St. Teresa of Avila? St. John of the Cross? Blessed Teresa of Calcutta? Just to name few! If listening to the wisdom of these men and women who have struggled with their faith and the world around them makes me unpopular with the world, so be it!
So there it is. Why am I Catholic? It is my faith. It is what sustains me in my difficult times. It is what guides me in a world of confusion. It is that which gives me hope!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Reference:
Most , W. (1990). The catholic church is the mystical body of christ. Retrieved from http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/chura1.htm
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