Sue O’Donnell. 27.03.21
“Go eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favours what you do.” (Ecclesiastes 9 v 7 NIV)
Surely this statement is applicable to the Holy Eucharist?
God is holy, yet we are made to be His family.
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with His glory.” (Isaiah 6 v 3)
Our awareness of this is awakened by Christ Jesus.
He, by the illuminating, faith building Spirit, shows us
We are nothing but “Beggars before God’s throne, yet blessed fully.” (St Augustine)
“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into His place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” (Romans 5 v 2 NLT)
We are unfit even to eat the crumbs that fall from His table.
Imagine then, the honour, the privilege, the glory
Of being called to partake of a heavenly banquet,
An altar laid out with the true Bread from heaven,
The communion wafer transubstantiated to be holy.
Its form and taste remain the same exactly,
But according to the miracle working Holy Spirit, is transformed.
“...rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” (Luke 10 v 20 NLT)
This substance has been changed to offer us the holy flesh of Christ Jesus
Similarly, the chalice of wine before us on the altar
Has been altered to become the cleansing blood of Christ Jesus,
Able to sanctify us, just as this was shed at the †.
All that is asked of us is the humility to own this truth,
Pray asking to receive, believe the gift and joyously celebrate.
“So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God, because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” (Romans 5 v 11 NLT)
We have been set free by mercy shown as love and forgiveness.
The free gift to us as Christ Jesus was sacrificed for this.
We are now at liberty to live in the power of holy love,
Offering to all others the love we have received,
Coming directly from our Father, through Christ Jesus
By the most marvellous, truly miraculous work of the Holy Spirit.
“I bless you, Father, for judging me worthy of this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs, I may share in the cup of Christ.” (St Polycarp)
“There you and your families will feast in the presence of the LORD your God, and you will rejoice in all you have accomplished because the LORD your God has blessed you.” (Deuteronomy 12 v 7 NIV)
Lord, we are assured that “ ‘He has filled the hungry with good things...’.” (Luke 1 v 53 NLT) “Let us continually say ‘Great is the Lord, who delights in blessing His servant with peace?” (Psalm 35 v 27 NLT) Your Son and Your Spirit are!
“Then I will proclaim Your justice, and I will proclaim You all day long.” (v 28) “ ‘Who is like You among the gods, O LORD -– glorious in holiness, awesome in splendour, performing great wonders” (Exodus 15 v 11) none greater than the Holy Eucharist.
Our weakened soul and spirit can claim this healing help of mercy, as originally offered us at the † of Christ Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer, leading us home to heaven. Because of His sacrifice on the † You will never spurn a contrite heart.
Your mercy is greater by far than our sin. “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt.” (Psalm 32 v 1, 2 NLT)
You discipline us mercifully, tenderly, as a father comforts his child, allowing us to confess all faults and failings without fear of punishment. That punishment has already been meted out on Christ Jesus on the †.
He took away our sins, winning forgiveness for us.
It is this very loving kindness which blesses us in each and every Holy Eucharist since. How steadfastly faithful is Your loving kindness towards us, as You relent from punishing us. A humble, contrite heart You will not spurn.
“Therefore let all the godly pray to You while there is still time.” (v 6) How dreadful it would be to die in unforgiveness without knowing how, where and why we can seek Your mercy, that we “...may not drown in the flood waters of judgement.” (Cont)
“For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.” (v 7) and I praise and thank You for choosing to do this, watching over us compassionately, always working for our better good through Your Son, by the Holy Spirit.
This better good is readily, freely available to us in each and every Holy Eucharist celebrated world wide, thank You. Let us respond with love to the incredible life enhancing power of holy love, gifted us at the † and
in holy communion.
The Lord Jesus reaches out for us. “Love Me, My child, as I have loved you. Share with Me as I have shared with you. Come to My banqueting table and be My guest! I died that you might be fed the bread of life. You will be fed and fortified, built up in My strength and knowledge.” “Be not
too busy” (February 24 entry in “Listen Carefully to Me” Sue and Hugh O’Donnell)
Thank you for such loving encouragement, Lord Jesus, it is a source of great sorrow that during this Covid 19 Pandemic, because of the requirement of social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus, anybody who needs to be protected by shielding, cannot attend Mass. We offer You our suffering in this setback.
Thank You that You have provided a means of Spiritual Communion for such times. In this we trust, knowing You long for us to come to the banqueting table at the altar, as much as we long to do so. But for now, we pray at home.
“My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment, receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.” (“An Act of Spiritual Communion”)
Thank You for this profound blessing, strengthening our body, soul and spirit, to go out and about as best we can, to spread the Good News of salvation, the mercy of our Father as shown through You, Lord Jesus, by
the Holy Spirit.
May each act of Spiritual Communion, offered through the pure heart of Mary, place all our prayer, efforts to work in Your name, joys and sufferings, hopes and dreams of today, be united with our Divine Heart in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
“Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence” (Catholic Prayer) – and it has taken me years to reach this strength, I am sorry – “I fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.” (Cont)
Thank You for being our mother as the Lord Jesus gifted this at the †, just before giving up His Spirit in order to gift us new life, this very life we celebrate in our Spiritual Communion or attendance at Mass.
“To You I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful” (Cont) truly ashamed of my sins, which have caused my Brother to suffer and die that I might be saved and sanctified by my Saviour and His and the Father’s Holy Spirit.
“O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in Your mercy, hear and answer me.” (Source not known) as you pray to your Son for me, seeking the grace of the experience of salvation.
“Holy Spirit, Sanctifier blessed, design to grant us: the gift of fear, which makes us shun all sin; the gift of piety, which makes us respect and love the Three Divine Persons, our parents and children, as is proper for the children of God.” (“Following the Holy Spirit” Rev Walter Van de Putte O.S.Sp)
Thank You almighty and ever living God that through the crucifixion and resurrection of Your Son, especially as re-presented to us in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we grow to know that death is not the end, but a
transition.
Comforted and consoled, uplifted and encouraged by the living Presence of Christ Jesus in and amongst us, help mankind to pray and work for the fuller life beyond the grave, knowing that nothing other than our own wilful sinning will separate us from You, Your love and mercy, or from each other in that love, graciously gifted in Christ Jesus.
According to the Spirit, we look to Jesus, pray, ask to receive and believe, thank You. “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon Me, for the LORD has anointed Me to bring goodness to the poor.” (Isaiah 61 v 1 NLT)
May our holy communion bless those impoverished in spirit because they have no faith to help them live a truly worthwhile life.
“He has sent Me to comfort the brokenhearted.” (Cont) I pray for those bereaved by the loss of loved ones during the Pandemic. May the real presence of the Lord Jesus amongst us bring them all comfort, reassurance of heaven and consolation in the thought that we will meet again.
“He has sent Me...to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed,” (Cont) from our captivity to satan, the arch deceiver and destroyer. Let us proclaim the victory in the name ‘Jesus’ to send satan packing.
“He has sent Me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favour has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.” (v 2)
Father God, “Give us today the food we need, the Bread of truth regarding salvation won for us at the † of Jesus, celebrated in the Holy Sacrifice of the daily Mass. “And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And do not let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6 v 11, 12, 13 NLT) We pray in the victorious name of Christ Jesus, our Saviour.
“To all who mourn in Israel,” (Isaiah 61 v 3 NLT) and beyond, so far is the reach of holy mercy, “He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair,” (Cont) such are the blessings of all who believe in the gift of Christ Jesus.
“The Sovereign LORD will show His justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise Him!” (Isaiah 61 v 11 NLT) All who turn to Jesus as our Saviour Redeemer, that is. How profoundly blessed we are, thank You!
“His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere” (Cont) just as yesterday I saw the glory of the first golden daffodil opening up in my garden, offering such hope of
new life.
Our new life is in our Saviour Brother, when we believe in the gift of His healing help, mercifully dealing with all our sinfulness, for dearest Father, “Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever,” (Matthew 6 v 13) our salvation and sanctification. Truly we praise You.
We “Must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. All glory to Him both now and forever,” (2 Peter 3 v 18 NLT) by His family being made holy according to His new life gifted us, arising out of forgiveness. Christ alive in us by the Spirit, is ever to be to the glory of God. Amen.
Images by Artist Christine Garwood
http://www.christinegarwoodartist.co.uk/
Season
Key Themes
EUCHARIST
