Ask The Blessed Mother For Help When Adoring Our Eucharistic Lord

by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

 

Our Lord Jesus Christ calls to our hearts. He humbles Himself in the form of Bread — a simple Host — in order to be available to us — to remain with us, to heal our wounded hearts, and nourish us with His abiding and incomprehensible Love and Mercy. He gives to us the Supreme Gift of His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity! 

In addition to receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, we can endeavor to console our Lord’s Merciful Heart while Adoring Him in the Blessed Sacrament. Adoring our Eucharistic Lord is a beautiful prayer and a wonderful means to honor and praise Him. The Catholic Catechism instructs: “Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his Creator. It exalts the greatness of the Lord who made us and the almighty power of the Savior who sets us free from evil. Adoration is homage of the spirit to the “King of Glory,”respectful silence in the presence of the “ever greater” God. Adoration of the thrice-holy and sovereign God of love blends with humility and gives assurance to our supplications” (CCC, 2628).

During his homilies, St. John Vianney, the Cure of Ars (1786-1859), whom spent countless hours with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament often glanced towards the tabernacle and passionately cried out, “He is there!” 

He also stated, “Our Lord is hidden there in the tabernacle, waiting for us to come and visit Him, and make our requests to Him…In heaven, where we shall be glorious and triumphant, we shall see Him in all His glory. If He had presented Himself, before us in that glory now, we should not have dared to approach Him; but He hides Himself like a person in prison, who might say to us, ‘You do not see Me, but that is no matter; ask of Me all you wish and I will grant it.”’

When Jesus told His disciples to eat His Body and drink His Blood, many fearfully fled. According to today’s Pew Research, only thirty one per cent of Catholics believe in the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Thus, the urgent need to do something to change those statistics. As one of that thirty one percent believers, I wish to provide teaching and inspiration for folks to take to their Eucharistic visits. For me, it was during time I spent with our dear Lord in Eucharistic Adoration where I received His unfathomable mercy, love, wisdom, and graces, and where I grew closer to Him.

Jesus Requests Our Company

Our Lord invites us to keep Him company, to sit at His feet, to listen to His whispers to our soul. The night before His crucifixion, Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to stay awake while He prayed in the Garden. Jesus suffered greatly there. When He checked on His disciples, He asked Peter, “Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour” (Mark 14:37)? 

The next line in Mark’s Gospel speaks of praying to avoid temptation. Jesus knew prayer was urgently necessary at that time. He specifically asked them to pray. However, Peter, James, and John were tired after their leisurely Passover meal and had trouble keeping their eyes open — they fell asleep. 

I suggest asking Mother Mary to help us to stay awake — to help us spend time with her Son — to help us to grow more in love with Him. After all, the Blessed Virgin Mary was an active co-redeemer with her Son Jesus. She continues to tirelessly work from Heaven to save souls. Saint Louis De Montfort stated, “It was through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus came into the world, and it is also through her that he must reign in the world.” 

Jesus and Mary are truly inseparable. It was inside Mary’s holy womb where Jesus spent His first nine months, rocked with her every move, kept nourished with her umbilical cord. It was at Mary’s breasts where Baby Jesus was showered with love and tenderness, and provided nourishment. On Mary’s knee, was where Jesus learned His first prayers. His Mother’s holy example as He grew helped to form His conscience, heart, and soul. Later on, during His public ministry, Mary’s continual earnest prayers and support aided Jesus on His mission to save mankind. 

What St. Padre Pio Can Teach Us About Enduring Trials

by Alec Torres

 

Padre Pio is one of the most beloved saints in Catholic history. Many know him for having the stigmata or for his ability to bilocate and read hearts in the confessional. The stories of his miracles are inspiring and remind people of the power of God and His Church. But even more important than the miracles was the way he lived his daily life in a spirit of peace, joy, and unfailing trust in God’s will—even in the face of terrible trials.

Padre Pio Accused Of Being A Fraud

In Padre Pio’s time, priests, bishops, and even at time the pope worried the poor friar was a fraud. Many in the hierarchy thought the crowds of people coming to visit him were unruly, chaotic, and superstitious. Some even believed poor Padre Pio was using his stigmata and purported miracles to gain fame and make money.

As a result of these fears, Padre Pio experienced extensive restrictions on his priestly ministry. He was banned from celebrating mass publicly, forbidden from showing his stigmata, and cut off from communicating with his spiritual director, who was one of his dearest friends. Later, he was restricted from seeing visitors and barred completely from hearing confessions. 

Many of these restrictions lasted for a full decade, meaning Padre Pio was essentially treated like a prisoner in his own friary.

Padre Pio’s Response

Padre Pio was tempted to respond in the ways of the world. On one occasion, an associate of Padre Pio, Emmanuele Brunatto, said he would publish a book exposing financial and sexual scandals in the Church in order to blackmail the hierarchy into giving Padre Pio back his faculties.

Sometimes it’s proper to openly discuss scandals in the Church for the sake of reform. But it must be done with a spirit of charity, not vengeance. Padre Pio saw that Brunatto wasn’t acting with the love of Christ but with the malice of Lucifer. He rejected Brunatto categorically, telling him “I absolutely cannot allow you to defend me or try to free me by throwing mud, and such mud in the face of people that I, you, and everyone have a sacred duty to respect.”

After all, Padre Pio’s superiors had the authority to restrict his ministry, and the only person they were really hurting was him. So rather than defend himself, he chose to leave it to God and silently suffer, like Christ in His passion. And because he trusted Providence and refused to sin in anger, he could go on with life at peace, knowing he was doing the Lord’s will.

The Miraculous End

Eventually, Providence came to Padre Pio’s aid. Pope Pius XI reversed the restrictions, and in a matter of months Padre Pio was back celebrating public masses and hearing countless confessions of the faithful. Padre Pio got all he was hoping for without ever lashing out at those who persecuted him.

The end of Padre Pio’s trial can seem somewhat miraculous. But isn’t it often the same for us? Have we ever reconciled with a family member by sending an angry text? Or found a new job because we were bitter about losing the old one? Or been healed of a sickness as a result of despairing over our plight?

Or isn’t it much more likely that God works His will to bring us healing, sustenance, and hope in due time, and often unexpectedly?

The real miracle of Padre Pio’s life wasn’t his stigmata or bilocation or anything like that. It was the example he gave of his absolute trust in God and unwavering commitment to do good even to those who wished him ill. In the face of trials, he answered with love, and Love Himself brought his trials to an end. 

Continue Learning About The Saints Who Faced Crisis

In Persecuted from Within: How the Saints Endured Crisis in the Church. you will find thorough and orthodox explanations of doctrine concerning Church authority, fraternal correction, and the virtue of obedience, as well as a practical plan to redeem our current shameful chapter in Church history. This book stands as a valuable and heartening resource for pastors, catechists, and those who seek to “counsel the doubtful” and “comfort the afflicted.”

September Is Devoted To The Seven Sorrows Of Mary | Mark Your Calendar!

by Genevieve Perkins

We’ve already had a month devoted to Mary’s Immaculate Heart in which we looked at the symbols of her heart. These images include a sword, which represents her sorrows. Sorrow is a sadness full of love, and if you don’t know what her seven sorrows are, we have a post all about the for you!

You’ll see that her sorrows are not tragedies. They certainly are difficult struggles, but because Mary was and is so close to God, anything that happened in her life could not be ruinous. Her son was crucified, died, and was buried. But! He rose again. 

Love of God sustained her through her sorrows as the love of God sustains those who trust and believe in Him. As Christians, we should remember that when we look at the crucifix we should never see it without remembering the Resurrection. When the world trips us up or sadness floods into your life, we should remember Noah’s rainbow and think of God’s promises. 

Look forward to eternal life in heaven with all your might, offering even the sorrows of this life to God!

September 15th is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, one of Mary’s many titles. Make a genuine effort to attend Mass, pray her Seven Sorrows, or both.

September Reflection Questions

1.      What sorrows are in your life and how can you see God’s love sustaining you in them?

2.      What title would you give to Mary in addition to the ones she already has?

3.      How can you help people in your life who need help turning sadness and struggles into a love-filled sorrow and perhaps even an unexplainable joy?

4.      Who can you share the Seven Sorrows of Mary prayer with?

5.      How do you pray in times of sorrow?

September Catholic Challenge

Attend Mass and/or pray the seven sorrows on September 15. Throughout the month, intentionally bring the Good News to those who need to hear it, even if it’s not explicitly reading the Bible to them. Offer your efforts to Jesus through Our Lady of Sorrows.

 

September Catholic Feast Days

September 3: Memorial of St. Gregory the Great 

September 5: Memorial of Mother Teresa of Calcutta

September 8: Mary’s Birthday!

September 9: Memorial of St. Peter Claver

September 12: Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary

September 13: Memorial of St. John Chrysostom

September 14: Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

September 15: Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

September 16: Memorial of Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian

September 20: Memorial of Sts. Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and companions

September 21: Feast of St. Matthew

September 23: Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina 

September 27: Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul

September 29:  Feast of the Archangels Sts. Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel

September 30: Memorial of St. Jerome