What I learned From a Muslim about Eucharistic Adoration

CERC ^ | Peter Kreeft

[Sock]

I like that passage from Matthew 13 also.

Here's the Introit for today's Mass:

Behold, God is my helper, the Lord sustains my life. Turn back the evil upon my foes; in Your faithfulness destroy them, O lord, my protector.
Ps. 53, 6,7.

Quite a prayer!

[sitetest]

Dear Sock,

I'm glad you like kidding. I have a hard time liking folks if I can't tease them.

"I have no quarrel with anyone saying that Boston is a top university. It's that little qualilfier "Catholic" to which I object in reference to some schools."

I understand that, and I think that Mr. Kreeft is playing on that point. Another way of writing it would have been, "BC is SUPPOSED to be a top Catholic university! These kids are SUPPOSED to be Catholic! They are SUPPOSED to have received TWELVE YEARS OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION! And look at the INEXCUSABLE SCANDAL, the UNMITIGATED DISASTER we have!"

Anyway, that's how I would have written it. But I'm an emotional Italian. ;-)

That IS, though, I think the correct reading of it. He is highlighting the irony that in this allegedly great Catholic place, so few have personal affection for our Lord.

He's right to point it out.

"Schools that promote abortion indirectly or directly, with faculty or by awarding pro abortion speakers are not fully Catholic in my estimation."

Okay. I don't disagree with that. I don't think Mr. Kreeft would, either.

"Actually, I have no idea who he is."

Okay. Well, he is a Catholic apologist, criticized by those who feel that he is altogether far too Catholic. He stands foursquare with the Magisterium of the Church, and with our Holy Father. I'm pretty sure that he would share your opinions about abortion and institutions of higher learning, as he published a book on abortion this March. My wife desires it; since her birthday is in a few weeks, I think I'll hop over to Amazon and buy it.

"...it was today's Gospel that put me in a combative mode, I was looking for anybody, you were around, so I though I'd pick a fight. You're good at checking your facts.[Flattery will get you nowhere!]

"How's that for kidding? "

Gee, and I thought you were serious. :-(

sitetest

[Sock]

But I'm an emotional Italian. ;-)

It's a small world. I wonder if we're related?

[american colleen]

Mr. Kreeft's classes are full to bursting, btw.

BC is an alarmingly CINO college, but the name still opens doors. I used to do recruiting there for one of the (old) "Big 8" accounting firms. If one of my kids wanted to attend BC, I would try to direct them to one of the orthodox Catholic Colleges outside of Massachusetts. I don't think there is an orthodox Catholic College in this state.

[sitetest]

Dear Sock,

"It's a small world. I wonder if we're related?"

It's a frightening thought!

But I doubt it. I don't like most of my relatives.

;-)

sitetest

[american colleen]

If you are discreet, neither father nor mother, husband nor wife, will ever hinder you from communicating frequently, and that because on the day of your Communion you will give good heed always to be more than usually gentle and amiable towards them, doing all you can to please them, so that they are not likely to prevent your doing a thing which in nowise inconveniences themselves, unless they were most particularly unreasonable and perverse, in which case, as I have said, your Director might advise you to yield.

I find myself much more loving and pleasant on the days I attend Mass and receive Communion, do you? One of my kids pointed it out to me a while ago, and I realized that as time goes on, the little things that used to bother me, do not bother me anymore - maybe I am getting old, but I don't think that is it. This year, because of the "crisis," I started to attend Mass once or twice during the week while the kids were in school. They could tell the days that I went!

[Sock]

THIS GREAT SACRAMENT OF LOVE

A couple of months before his death Bishop Fulton J. Sheen was interviewed on national television. One of the questions was this:

 

"Bishop Sheen, you have inspired millions of people all over the world. Who inspired  you? Was it a Pope?"

 

Bishop Sheen responded that it was not a Pope, a cardinal, another bishop, or even a priest or a nun. It was a little Chinese girl of eleven years of age. He explained that when the Communists took over China,  they imprisoned a priest in his own rectory near the Church.  After they locked him up in his own house, the priest was horrified to look out of his window and  see the Communists proceed into the Church, where they went into the sanctuary and broke into the tabernacle. In an act of hateful desecration, they took the ciborium and threw it on the floor with all of the Sacred Hosts spilling out. The priest knew exactly how many Hosts were in the ciborium:  thirty-two.

 

When the Communists left, they either did not notice, or didn't pay any attention to a small girl praying in the back of the Church who saw everything that had happened.  That night the little girl came back. Slipping past the guard at the priest's house, she went inside the Church. There she made a holy hour of prayer, an act of love to make up for the act of hatred.

 

After her holy hour she went into the sanctuary, knelt down, bent over and with her tongue received Jesus in Holy Communion, *since it was not permissible for laymen to touch the Sacred Host with their hands.

 

The little girl continued to come back each night to make her holy  hour and receive Jesus in Holy Communion on her tongue. On the thirty-second  night, after she had consumed the last and thirty-second host, she accidentally made a noise and woke the guard who was sleeping. He ran after her,  caught her, and beat her to death with the butt of his rifle. This act of heroic martyrdom was witnessed by the priest as he watched grief-stricken from his bedroom window.

 

When Bishop Sheen heard the story he was so inspired that he promised God he would make a holy hour of prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament everyday of his life.  If this frail, little child could give testimony and witness to the world concerning the real and wonderful Presence of her Savior in the Blessed Sacrament, then the Bishop was absolutely bound by all that was right and true, to do the same. His sole desire from then on was to bring the world to the burning Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

The little girl showed the Bishop what true courage and zeal really is; how faith could overcome all fear, how true love for Jesus in the Eucharist must transcend life itself. What is hidden in the Sacred Host is the glory of His love. The sun in the sky is symbolic of the Son of God in the Blessed Sacrament. This is why most monstrances are in the form of a sunburst. As the sun is the natural source of all energy, the Blessed Sacrament is  the supernatural source of all grace and love. The Blessed Sacrament is JESUS, the Light of the world.

Source

[JMJ333]

Yes, I am more amiable on days where I have received communion and have had the pleasure to attend Mass. And the more I do attend the more focused I am on God. And I love benediction also. I love the smell of incense. =)

[JMJ333]

Thanks! Bishop Sheen is always a pleasure to read!

[sitetest]

Dear Sock,

JMJ333 dedicated a thread to this story. It's quite moving.

Thanks for the repeat.

sitetest

[JMJ333]

We say benediction in the chapel of perpetual adoration, which is not very large. Its led by a retired priest Monsignor Heymer. When he gets the incense going it is almost difficult to breathe in there. He is a hoot! ;)

[american colleen]

Thanks Sock, for posting that story. It is unbelievably inspiring that a little girl of 11 could have such a deep love and faith in our Lord.

I was just thinking that this would never happen today... that little girl lived before "Communion in the hand" - in fact, a couple of weeks ago one of the Eucharistic Ministers in our parish dropped a Host and bent down and picked it up and put it back in the chalice. No big deal today.

[Lady In Blue]

Bumping for a later read this evening. Thanks!

[american colleen]

No incense at my parish except Friday mornings at 10:00. We have Eucharistic Adoration from 10:00 to Noon. Only a few attendees.

I really, really miss all the traditions. Just as I started to get old enough to appreciate them, they took them away. :-(

[JMJ333]

Salvation linked it to the thread. But no matter...some may have skipped the link and still got to read it!

Site...have you ever read a book called "Beyond East and West," by John Wu?

[sitetest]

Dear JMJ333,

No, I haven't. Could you tell me about it?

sitetest

[JMJ333]

I really, really miss all the traditions. Just as I started to get old enough to appreciate them, they took them away. :-(

We wouldn't have them either if it weren't for Monsignor. He is so sweet. He forgets the prayers sometimes because he is in his 80s and is suffering from mild memory loss, but its worth having him say benediction. On holy days he even leads a procession through the church holding the monstrance, then he comes up the main aisle and we kneel in front of his path until he gets to the altar. He is very special and we are lucky to have him. I will pray that you get a "Monsignor Heymer" as well. =)

[JMJ333]

Its an autobiography, and I thought it was really profound in its insights, especially from the point of a chinese Catholic who is very spiritual. I came across it while reading another book called "From Confucius to Christ," by Paul K.T. Sih, which is equally as profound. I thought you might enjoy them if you ever ran across them. =)

[american colleen]

Did Mass and Eucharistic Adoration go up when you had the Monsignor installed in your parish?

In my occasional Mass "travels" I believe I see a difference in attendance. It seems to me that the more "traditional" parishes attract more parishioners.

[sitetest]

Dear JMJ333,

John Wu... The name is familiar to me...

I'll have to look through some old books.

sitetest