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Posted on 10/17/2004 3:32:54 PM PDT by NYer
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – In the solemn mass in St Peter Basilica announcing the start of the Year of the Eucharist, Pope John Paul II said that the Eucharist is light “for the heart of man oppressed by sin, disoriented and tired”, the light for a world that is “in a difficult search for a seemingly distant peace in a new millennium distressed and humiliated by violence, terrorism and war”. For the Pope, the “light” of the Eucharist is also a mystery as a way to relate to the problems of our times.
The solemn rite took place in Rome as the International Eucharistic Congress was coming to a close in Guadalajara. Through a live TV feed both events were linked. Unlike other times, the Pope could not be in the Mexican city in person but at least he was able to speak to the congress participants.
“The TV linkage between St Peter Basilica, the heart of Christendom, and Guadalajara, seat of the Congress,” the Pope said in Spanish, “is a bridge between continents and makes our prayer meeting an ideal Statio orbis bringing together believers from around the world. Jesus Himself is the point of encounter, truly present in the most Holy Eucharist through the mystery of his death and resurrection, the point where heaven and earth and peoples and cultures meet. Christ is “our peace, the One who made the two into one people”.
For the Pope, who seemed to be in relatively good health, the central theme of the Congress –‘The Eucharist as light and life of the new millennium– urges us to think of the Eucharistic mystery not only in and of itself but also in relation to the problems of our times.
Mystery of light! The human heart, oppressed by sin, often disoriented, tired and burdened by all sorts of suffering, needs light. The world, too, needs light in its difficult search for a seemingly distant peace at the beginning of a new millennium distressed and humiliated by violence, terrorism and war.
The Eucharist is light! In the Word of God constantly proclaimed, bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. It is He, the resurrected Lord, who opens minds and hearts. When the bread is broken, He lets Himself be recognised as did the two disciples in Emmaus. It is in this convivial gesture that we relive the sacrifice on the Cross, experience God’s infinite love and are called upon to spread the light of Christ among the men and women of our times”.
“Life’s mystery! What aspiration can be greater in life? And yet, menacing shadows are gathering over this universal human yearning: the shadow of a culture that denies respect to life in all its stages; the shadow of indifference that condemns countless people to a life of hunger and underdevelopment; the shadow of science whose research is too often at the service of the selfish mighty”.
The Eucharist means brotherhood. For the Pope, that compels us to feel “the needs of our brothers. We cannot lock our heart away and hide from their calls for help. And yet we cannot forget that Man does not live of bread alone for we also need the bread that comes from the heavens. Jesus is that bread. Feeding from Him means accepting God’s life and opening ourselves to love and sharing.”
“I especially wanted this year to be dedicated to the Eucharist for this mystery truly nourishes the Church every day, especially on Sundays, the day when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
“In this Year of the Eucharist, the Christian community is urged to be more aware and conscious of this observance through a more fervent and lasting adoration and a greater commitment to brotherhood and service to the humble.
The Eucharist is the source and epiphany of the communion. It is the principle and goal of mission. Following in Mary’s footsteps –“Eucharistic woman–, may the Christian community experience this mystery! Thanks to the “Bread of eternal live”, may Christians become light and life, source of evangelisation and solidarity!”
For the opening of the Year of the Eucharist, the Pope recited a prayer that he wrote himself:
““Mane nobiscum, Domine!” he said. “Like the two disciples in the Gospels, we implore You, Lord Jesus, stay with us! You, divine traveller who know the roads and our hearts, do not leave us in the shadows of the evening.”
“Help us in our weariness, forgive us our sins and lead us onto the path of righteousness. Bless the children, the youth, the elder, the families, especially the sick. Bless the priests and those who are consecrated. Bless all of humanity.”
“In the Eucharist, You have become the “medicine of immortality”: give us a taste for the full life, the one that leads us to walk on this earth as confident and joyful pilgrims with the eye always on the prize of endless life.”
“Stay with us, oh Lord! Stay with us! Amen.”
After the Eucharist needs to come adoration. I'm gonna investigate doing a holy hour at a local parish that thankfully has Perpetual Adoration.
The Rosary is a great weapon against evil so every Catholic especially needs to enlist in this spiritual warfare.
Let's start by praying for the defeat of John Kerry, the prototypical Vatican II candidate: divorced, nuanced, contradictory, vague, ecumenical, doctrine-free, ambiguous, contra-traditional.
Not every Catholic has historically been below the poverty line. Again, you can't fool God. The Marian Psalter is called that for a reason. If one wishes to rebel against that, don't take God's Name in vain to do so. Understand the rebellion, and take responsibility. Don't think to say that - simply don't like any change - is somehow persuasive. Clinton talked about change. And he meant a change for the worse. And in the context of RVM, change can be holy - or unholy.
The Rosary is. Pray The Holy Rosary - not RVM. Do what Our Blessed Mother asks of us.
Please.
Do you consider it somehow blasphemous to 'focus' on Mary? Do you think she somehow detracts from God, if we 'focus' on her, in the Holy Rosary?
Think just about that. Don't dodge, and change the subject, and claim I'm saying Mary this, and God that. I'm not putting words in your mouth. Don't put them in mine. I'm just asking.
But here's the thing. You don't need to stop praying the old Rosary to start praying the new luminous mysteries. I'm not trying to be flip. As Catholics, we don't believe God stopped revealing Himself to us once the Bible was codified. I just can't see that it matters if we're over the number of psalms. And I also cannot see how meditating on the earthly ministry of Jesus can be a bad thing.
Of course not. But remember the Blessed Mother herself wants to lead us to her Son.
Do you think it detracts from Mary to focus on her Son?
"menacing shadows are gathering"
There's a B5 joke in here somewhere.
So John Paul II isn't the Pope. Go back and look at some of the things you have posted. The criticism of you seems quite accurate.
And there should be a "?" after the first sentence not a period.
You don't. At least not directly. You posted a comment which appeared to me to imply that the reception of congratulations from Muslim countries reflected negatively on the Pope. If that was not your intention then I withdraw my comment.
You are also on shaky ground in assuming that they recognise the One, True, God. If you feel like running with that one, I'm in the mood for a good long argument on the topic.
I'm sure you are. And I'll resist your attempt to draw me into one. At least on this thread. Other than to say that the Church has spoken on this subject and I hold with Her pronouncements on this issue. Perhaps my meaning would have been clearer had I said that many Muslims recognize in JPII a man who sincerely longs for the face of God, truth, justice and peace. My comment was not intended as a commentary on what Muslims do or do not worship.
And, on Iraq, he was flat-out wrong. The remainder of your argument simply doesn't hold up. It runs parallel to the specious Liberal notion of.... "If only the nasty West would refrain from resisting Islamic tyranny, they'd really get to like us and stop trying to kill us"
Every passing day shows that the Pope was correct. Last Friday, the first of Ramadan saw the bombing of 5 Christian churches. If you are a Christian, living in Iraq, there is absolutley no question that life is much, much worse than before our intervention. The ultimate form of government for this country is far from clear. As for "resisting Islamic tyranny", I could write an essay on this. Beginning with the Catholic conditions for a just war and whether they were satisfied in this case, moving on through just what a secular dictator like Hussein had to do with Islamic tyranny and ending on how a faithful Catholic or Christian should resist Islamic tyranny.
If you look at the activity of the insurgents in Iraq and today's pronouncements from Zarqawi, for instance, I'd say we've given Islamic tyranny a helping hand.
Touchy. I'm referring "derisively" to nobody. If that appears to be the case, then I apologize. When I said "people such as yourself", I was referring to people who themselves talk about the Pope in overly critical and derisive terms. As to whether you can do this and still be Catholic, that's best left to others to decide.
What do YOU . . know about St. Peter? What do you know about the Apostles? What do you know of the Church Fathers? Do you care? The councils? You care? I do. That's your answer. And you have to answer it for yourself.
My answer is to be loyal to the one whom the Holy Spirit has called to the Petrine office.
It was the eucharist that drew me to Catholicism, so it is particularly striking to me that this would be declared The Year of the Eucharist. I find the Pope's words so consistently refreshing and nourishing.
Welcome Home!
I love this part -- which I think is a quote from St. Athanasius, isn't it?
You are making this way too difficult.
I do manage to focus on the Mary's role in Salvation.
I also manage when I pray to let God give me insight and understanding. He's never failed yet to do so.
thank you.
>> If that was not your intention then I withdraw my comment. <<
No, it was not my intention. You are gracious in acknowledging that and I thank you for so doing.
>> Other than to say that the Church has spoken on this subject <<
Sorry, the Church has not spoken. The Pope offered a prudential judgement to which any Catholic should give serious weight and consideration BUT with which we are not bound to agree nor to adhere
>> Muslims recognize in JPII a man who sincerely longs for the face of God, truth, justice and peace <<
Not at all what your earlier comment asserted. And please, please do some serious reading on Islam (no sarcasm intended). I mean this as a genuine enjoinder. The Holy Father KNOWS who God is and He is not to be found in the false religion of Muhammad. Somehow, you also appear, here, to draw a distinction between God and "justice and peace". I will do you the courtesy of assuming that this was simple, unintended tautology on your part.
>> Every passing day shows that the Pope was correct <<
No it doesn't. It does show that your country and mine and a few others are taking the fight into the enemy's territory (and I don't mean the Iraqi people) rather than allow them the initiative of doing so on ours.
As a former soldier who had to fight on his own home turf, believe me I know whereof I speak - you won't like it when it comes.
And, as to Zarqawi, do you really perceive him to be some sort of Iraqi, maquis-like figure defending his country against the imperialist aggressor? Need I remind you of the theicide being perpetuated in Sudan and the daily massacres of Christians in Pakistan, Indonesia, The Philippines and elsewhere. If you would care to send me your essay on the topic, I'll gladly critique it.
No, my friend, Zarqawi and his ilk have already proffered you the option. A mihrab or a coffin. You choose.
BRAVO! Your statement was very balanced, rational, and clearly showed the reality of things. Thank you!
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