Above all, adoration

   

"The liturgy is, above all, adoration. The Church

is the work of God, God's action; it is recognition

of what God does for men. And the

adoration that the liturgy expresses, especially

the Eucharist, is the acknowledgment of God,

that everything comes from Him, that

everything that belongs to us must find Him."  

Cardinal Antonio Cañizares

Pope Pius V standardized the Holy Mass

by promulgating the 1570 edition of the Roman Missal.

Pope St. Pius V

Italy  ~ 1504-1572

Dominican*, Church Reformer

"Pope of the Rosary"

*His decision to keep wearing his Dominican habit

led to the custom of the pope wearing a white cassock.

Feast Day - April 30

On his deathbed:  "O Lord, increase my sufferings

and increase my patience." ~ St Pius V

St Pius V, ora pro nobis!

   

More on St Pius V:

Click here: St. Pius V - YouTube

 

Probably the act for which Pius V will be longest remembered is his leadership at the time of the Battle of Lepanto.

In 1565, the Knights of Saint John defended Malta against a tremendous
attack by the Turkish fleet and lost nearly every fighting man in the
fortress. It was the pope who sent encouragement and money with which to
rebuild their battered city. The pope called for a crusade among the
Christian nations and appointed a leader who would be acceptable to all. He
ordered the Forty Hours Devotion to be held in Rome, and he encouraged all
to say the Rosary.

When the Christian fleet sailed out to meet the enemy, every man on board
had received the sacraments, and all were saying the Rosary. The fleet was
small, and numerically it was no match for the Turkish fleet, which so far
had never met defeat. They met in the Bay of Lepanto on Sunday morning,
October 7, 1565. After a day of bitter fighting, and, on the part of the
Christians, miraculous help, the Turkish fleet-what was left of it-fled in
disgrace, broken and defeated, its power crushed forever.

Before the victorious fleet returned to Rome, the pope had knowledge of the
victory through miraculous means. He proclaimed a period of thanksgiving; he placed the invocation, "Mary, Help of Christians" in the Litany of Loreto
and established the feast of Our Lady of Victory (later Our Lady of the Rosary) in commemoration of the victory.

 

St Pius V inserted the Adoro Te Devote among the prayers of preparation and thanksgiving for the Mass into the Missal reformed by him in 1570.  (Prior to that, the text had remained unknown for two centuries since St Thomas Aquinas penned it.) From that date, the hymn was used in the universal Church as one of  the most loved Eucharistic prayers of the clergy and the Christian people.  Spend some time today meditating on its beauty and truth and express your gratitude for its preservation.  ***(This hymn is the inspiration of the TITLE of this blog - see verse two).

GODHEAD HERE IN HIDING /ADORO TE DEVOTE

Words: St Thomas Aquinas, Translation: Gerard Manley Hopkins S.J.

Adoro te devote, latens Deitas, Quæ sub his figuris vere latitas; Tibi se cor meum totum subjicit, Quia te contemplans totum deficit. Visus, tactus, gustus in te fallitur, Sed auditu solo tuto creditur. Credo quidquid dixit Dei Filius; Nil hoc verbo veritátis verius. In cruce latebat sola Deitas, At hic latet simul et Humanitas, Ambo tamen credens atque confitens, Peto quod petivit latro pœnitens. Plagas, sicut Thomas, non intueor: Deum tamen meum te confiteor. Fac me tibi semper magis credere, In te spem habere, te diligere.  O memoriale mortis Domini! Panis vivus, vitam præstans homini! Præsta meæ menti de te vívere, Et te illi semper dulce sapere. Pie Pelicane, Jesu Domine, Me immundum munda tuo sanguine: Cujus una stilla salvum facere Totum mundum quit ab omni scelere. Jesu, quem velatum nunc aspicio, Oro, fiat illud quod tam sitio: Ut te revelata cernens facie, Visu sim beátus tuæ gloriæ. Amen

Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore, Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more, See, Lord, at Thy service low lies here a heart Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art. Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived: How says trusty hearing? that shall be believed; What God's Son has told me, take for truth I do; Truth Himself speaks truly or there's nothing true. On the cross Thy godhead made no sign to men, Here Thy very manhood steals from human ken:  Both are my confession, both are my belief, And I pray the prayer of the dying thief. I am not like Thomas, wounds I cannot see, But can plainly call thee Lord and God as he; Let me to a deeper faith daily nearer move, Daily make me harder hope and dearer love. O thou our reminder of Christ crucified, Living Bread, the life of us for whom he died, Lend this life to me then: feed and feast my mind, There be thou the sweetness man was meant to find. Bring the tender tale true of the Pelican; Bathe me, Jesu Lord, in what Thy bosom ran Blood whereof a single drop has power to win All the world forgiveness of its world of sin. Jesu, whom I look at shrouded here below, I beseech thee send me what I thirst for so, Some day to gaze on thee face to face in light And be blest for ever with Thy glory's sight. Amen.

GOOD SHEPHERD - nourishes, guards, guides

"For He hears the lamb's innocent call.
And He hears the ewe's tender reply.
He is watchful while they are in peace.
For they know when their Shepherd is nigh."

 ~ William Blake

Champaigne

"We adore You, Jesus,

eternal Shepherd of the human race. 

You are present in the Eucharist

to dwell continually

in the midst of Your people. 

You nourish us,

You guard us,

You guide us to the heavenly fold."

Ven. James Alberione

 

49th WORLD DAY of PRAYER for VOCATIONS

Let us pray that men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord’s call to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, societies of apostolic life or secular institutes. Check out these many resources to promote a culture of vocations on the USCCB Facebook page for vocations.

ORDAINED to the Holy Priesthood of Jesus Christ TODAY -

by the Holy Father in Rome!

Let us hold them in prayer and offer thanksgiving for their 'YES'!

Deacon Daniele Natalizi ~ Diocese of Rome
Deacon Roman Marco Santarelli ~ Diocese of Rome
Deacon Alfredo Tedesco ~ Diocese of Rome
Deacon Joseph Vu Van Hieu ~ Diocese of Bui Chu in Vietnam

Deacon Jean Florent Agbo ~ Diocese of Rome
Deacon Jorge Alexander Suarez Barbaran ~ Diocese of Rome
Deacon Giuseppe Cippitelli ~ Diocese of Rome
Deacon Claudio Fabbri ~ Diocese of Rome
Deacon Piero Gallo ~ Diocese of Rome

 

Triple blessing!

Eucharistic thoughts and prayers from three

'family members' on their FEAST DAY today...

 

 

 

St Louis de Montfort used to remain after Holy Mass for thanksgiving

at least a half hour, and he would not permit any need or assignment

to serve as a reason for omitting it.  He said, 

 "I would not give up this hour of thanksgiving

even for an hour of Paradise." 

 

St Louis de Montfort

France ~ 1673-1716

Priest, author,

Founder ~ Sisters of Divine Wisdom

Marian devotee

FEAST DAY - April 28

 

 

 

'She (Mother Mary) is an echo of God, speaking and repeating only God.

If you say "Mary" she says 'God'." ~ St Louis de Montfort

St Louis de Montfort, ora pro nobis!   

 

   

 

 

"Our body is a cenacle,

a monstrance:

through its crystal the world should see God."

 

St Gianna Beretta Molla

Wife, Mother, Doctor, Martyr

Italy (1922-1962)

FEAST DAY - April 28

 

 

 

“The life of Mamma was an act and a perennial action of faith and charity; it was a non-stop search for the will of God for every decision and for every work, with prayer and meditation, Holy Mass and the Eucharist,” explained St. Gianna’s husband to their children after her death.

 

St Gianna, ora pro nobis!

 

 

 

 

 When called upon to justify his conversion,

one of Chanel's catechumens had said of him,  

"He loves us. He does what he teaches.

He forgives his enemies. His teaching is good."

 

St Peter Chanel

Nee France ~ 1803-1841

Priest, Missionary, Protomartyr of Oceania

  Within two years after his death,

the whole island became Catholic and has remained so.

FEAST DAY - April 28

 

   

"No one is a martyr for a conclusion, no one is a martyr for an opinion;

it is faith that makes martyrs" (Bl John Cardinal Newman,

Discourses to Mixed Congregations). 

 

St Peter Chanel, ora pro nobis!

 

Highest vocation in this world

Extract from Bl Columba Marmion’s

conferences to priests on the Holy Mass…

“The priest is raised to a dignity which is, in a certain sense, divine, for Jesus Christ identifies Himself with him.   His role as mediator is the highest vocation in this world.  It is worth repeating:  if a priest did nothing during his whole life but offer the holy Sacrifice piously every morning, or even if he were to offer it once, he would have accomplished an act greater in the hierarchy of values than those events which convulse the world.  For the effect of every Mass will endure for eternity, and nothing is eternal except the divine. 

We must orient our whole day towards the Mass.  It is the central point and sun of the day.  It is, as it were, the focus from which there comes to us light, fervour, and supernatural joy.

We must hope that, little by little, our priesthood may take possession of our soul and our life so that it may be said of us: “He is always a priest.”  That is the effect of a Eucharistic life, embalmed in the perfume of the sacrifice which makes us an alter Christus, another Christ."

HELP NEEDED! READ ON...

Traditionally in the Spring and Summer, the Church celebrates her Ordinations of men to the Holy Priesthood of Jesus Christ.  In the past I have featured the names of Deacons who will celebrate Holy Orders - so that we may specifically pray for them and rejoice in their 'YES' to Our Lord's plans for them. 

Are there men in your Diocese who will be ordained to the priesthood soon? Please submit their FULL NAME, DIOCESE/COUNTRY they will serve, and DATE of Ordination.  I will add this info at the end of the daily Eucharistic offerings on the day of their Ordinations.  What holy ANTICIPATION!

Authentic happiness

 

"...It is one thing to love God,

and another thing actually to feel

the happiness of His presence."

Elizabeth LeSeuer
Servant of God 

Really living!

 "Live on Him

that you may live for Him."

St John Vianney

 

THE LAST SUPPER by Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret (oil on canvas)

And as they were eating, He took bread,

and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said,

"Take; this is My Body."

And He took a chalice, and when He had given thanks

He gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 

And He said to them,

"This is My Blood of the covenant,

which is poured out for many."

Gospel of Mark 14:22-24

St Mark

Evangelist, Martyr (+68 AD)

Disciple of St Peter, Cousin of Barnabus

Accompanied St Paul - first Missionary Journey

Symbol:  lion, often winged*

*The Gospel of St Mark begins with St John the Baptist,

"the voice of one crying in the wilderness,"

a voice that St Jerome compared to the roar of a lion.

FEAST DAY - April 25

 Go out into the whole world and

proclaim the gospel to every creature. ~Mark 16:15

St Mark, ORA PRO NOBIS!

Heresy's primary attacks

"Wherever heresy has arisen it has first attacked

the worship of the Blessed Sacrament

and devotion to our Blessed Lady,

wishing to begin its work of destruction

by closing these two sources of divine grace."

St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier

France ~ 1796-1868

Foundress ~ Sisters of the Good Shepherd

FEAST DAY - April 24

"Go after the lost sheep without other rest than the cross,

other consolation than work,

other thirst than for justice." ~ St Mary Euphrasia

St Mary Euphrasia, ora pro nobis

Don't listen, laugh... go...

 

Jesus burns with the desire

to come into your heart...

don't listen to the demon, laugh at him,

and go without fear

to receive the Jesus of peace and love..."

 

St. Therese the Little Flower

He gives Himself to thee...

“He gives Himself to thee, not merely to look upon, but even to touch, to eat, and to receive within…

Consider at Whose table thou eatest.  For we are fed with that which the angels view with trepidation and which they cannot contemplate without fear because of its splendor.  

We become one with Him; we become one body and one flesh with Christ.”

St John Chrysostom

That our JOY may be full...

 

 

"I adore and venerate You as much as ever I can,

though my love is so cold, my devotion so poor.

Thank You for the good gift of this Your

holy Body and Blood, which I desire to receive...

that which You promised through Your truth,
that my joy may be full…"

 

 

St. Anselm

nee Italy ~ 1033-1109

Archbishop of Canterbury

Benedictine monk, theologian, philosopher

"Father of Scholasticism"

Doctor of the Church

FEAST DAY - April 21

 

 

"O God our God, grant us grace to desire you with a whole heart,

so that desiring you we may seek and find you;

and so finding you, may love you;

and loving you may hate those sins which separate us from you,

for the sake of Jesus Christ." ~ St Anselm

 

 

 

"From the moment of her fiat

Mary began to carry all of us in her womb." ~ St Anselm

 

St Anselm, ora pro nobis!

 

To dwell, to behold...

Jan Davidsz de Heem

“I desire, and ask it from Your love – to dwell always close to You, in body or at least in heart; to behold your Eucharistic beauty and glory; to feed ever on Your love; to pass my days and nights, as far as you allow, in blessing, in loving, and in contemplating You!”

St Gertrude the Great

Friends of the King

Prayer after communion ~ Vigil Mass National Prayer for Life - 2012 (St Louis, MO)

“Beneath the accidents of bread, Jesus is accessible – if the King disguises Himself, we can converse with Him without ceremonies and court etiquette:  indeed He seems to have waived His claim to them by appearing incognito.

Take pleasure in remaining in His society:  do not lose such precious time, for this hour is of the utmost value to the soul, and the good Jesus desires you to spend it with Him.

When you have received our Lord, since He really dwells within you, try to close the eyes of your body and to open those of your soul; look into your heart.  … He will reveal Himself to you, in proportion to the desire you have of seeing Him.  …

He will not show Himself openly or reveal His glories or bestow His treasures, save on souls who prove that they ardently desire Him, for these are His real friends.”

Excerpt from The Way of Perfection 34:9-11

St Teresa of Avila (1582 +)

The holy practice of Spiritual Communion

“When we feel the love of God growing cold, let us instantly make a Spiritual Communion.  When we cannot go to the church, let us turn towards the tabernacle; no wall can shut us out from the good God.” ~ St John Vianney

When unable to receive Holy Communion for whatever reason, the practice of making what is known as a "Spiritual Communion," is encouraged.  St. Thomas Aquinas describes this as "an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and in lovingly embracing Him as if we had actually received Him."

In a Spiritual Communion, with contrite, humble hearts, we ask our Lord to come to us in the same way He would if we were able to receive the Sacrament.  One can “turn toward the holy tabernacle” and receive Jesus in one's heart from anywhere - at any time, day or night! A Spiritual Communion is made using one's own words or through one of the traditional prayers (examples below).

 

St. Alphonsus Liguori (prayer above)

Oh Jesus, I turn toward the holy tabernacle where You live hidden for love of me. I love you, O my God. I cannot receive you in Holy Communion. Come, nevertheless, and visit me with Your grace. Come spiritually into my heart. Purify it. Sanctify it. Render it like unto Your own. Amen.

Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. 

The basis of this practice was explained by Pope Bl John Paul II in his encyclical, Ecclesia de Eucharistia:

In the Eucharist, "unlike any other sacrament, the mystery [of communion] is so perfect that it brings us to the heights of every good thing: Here is the ultimate goal of every human desire, because here we attain God and God joins himself to us in the most perfect union."

Precisely for this reason it is good to cultivate in our hearts a constant desire for the sacrament of the Eucharist. This was the origin of the practice of "spiritual communion," which has happily been established in the Church for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life. St. Teresa of Jesus wrote: "When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you" [The Way of Perfection, Ch. 35.].1 .

What is the value of this practice? The Baltimore Catechism notes that a Spiritual Communion “is an act of devotion, and one very pleasing to God.”The graces received may be as great as -- or greater than -- those received by some people in the actual Sacrament. Though, of course, the Sacrament itself is inherently greater, our disposition toward the Sacrament affect whether and how we receive its fruits.

"If you practice the holy exercise of Spiritual Communion a good many times each day, within a month you will see yourself completely changed." ~ St. Leonard of Port Maurice

 

Ever-ready help

 I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  

I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you ...  Isaiah 41:9b, 10

 

 

"Praying before the Blessed Sacrament

I find strength, courage,

light and all the love I need

to help those entrusted to me

on the way of salvation.”

 

Bl. Victoria Diez Bustos De Molino

Source of LIGHT and LOVE for all

 

“The Eucharist bathes the tormented soul

in light and love.

Then the soul appreciates these words,

‘Come all you who are sick,

I will restore your health.'" 

 

St Bernadette

France ~ 1844-1879

Lourdes visionary and nun

Incorrupt

Feast Day - April 16

 

 

Said of St Bernadette by a fellow Sister, Sr Dalias:

"The Holy Eucharist was the breath of her soul."

 

 A tiny tot of four inquired of St Bernadette,

"You have seen the Blessed Virgin, Sister. Was she beautiful?"

"So beautiful," she replied, "that once you have seen her,

you would willingly die to see her again."

 

St Bernadette, ora pro nobis!

 

 

Happy and Holy 85th Birthday,

dearest Pope Benedict!

April 16

 

 

"A lesser attention paid at times to the worship of the Most Blessed Sacrament is the sign and cause of the obfuscation of the Christian meaning of the mystery, as happens when in the Holy Mass Jesus is no longer preeminent and active, but a community exists busy with many things rather than being absorbed and attracted by the only thing necessary: its Lord."

~ Pope Benedict XVI, 4.15.10 to Brazil's Bishops in Vatican City

Jesus, I trust in You!

‘I stand as a beggar before the mercy of God,

praying that He will heal all the infirmities of my soul’.  ~ St Bruno

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

 

"No traveling soul can worthily love its God, but when this soul does everything it possibly can, and trusts in divine mercy, why should Jesus reject it?  Didn't He command us to love God in accordance with our strength?  When you have given and consecrated everything to God, why do you fear?" - St Pio (1916) 

 

St Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament:  "When I steeped myself in prayer, I was transported in spirit to the Chapel, where I saw the Lord Jesus, exposed in the Monstrance. In place of the Monstrance I saw the glorious face of the Lord, and He said to me:

"What you see in reality, these souls see through faith.

Oh, how pleasing to Me is their great faith!

You see, although there appears to be no trace

of life in Me, in reality it is present in its fullness

in each and every Host. But for Me to be able

to act upon the soul, the soul must have faith.

O how pleasing to Me is living faith!"

 

 

 

“Adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy.”

“I do not want to punish an aching mankind, but desire to heal it,

pressing it to My Merciful Heart.”

 

Words of Jesus to St. Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament,

Divine Mercy in My Soul, 1572, 1588

 

 

“Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His Love

and the future to His Providence. ” ~ St. Augustine