Christ's Presence Outside of Mass

Christ’s Presence Outside of Mass

There has been a deeper grasp by the Church of every aspect of the mystery of the Eucharist. But one that merits special attention is the growing realization, not only of Christ’s sacrificial oblation in the Mass, but of His grace-filled presence outside of Mass.

“It is on this doctrinal basis that the worship of adoring the Eucharist was founded and gradually developed as something distinct from the Sacrifice of the Mass.  The reservation of the Sacred Species for the sick and those in danger introduced the praiseworthy custom of adoring the Blessed Sacrament which is reserved in our churches.  This practice of adoration, in fact, is based on strong and solid reasons.  For the Eucharist is at once  Sacrifice and a Sacrament: but it differs from the other Sacraments in this that it not only produces grace, but contains, in a permanent manner, the Author of grace Himself.  When, therefore, the Church bids us adore Christ hidden behind the Eucharistic veils and pray to Him for the spiritual and temporal favors of which we ever stand in need, she manifests living faith in her divine Spouse who is present beneath these veils, she professes her gratitude to Him and she enjoys the intimacy of His friendship.”

(Encyclical Mediator Dei - 1947 Pius XII - paragraph 131)

The key to seeing why there should be a Eucharistic worship distinct from the Mass is that the Eucharist is Jesus Christ.  No less than His contemporaries in Palestine adored and implored Him for the favors they needed, so we should praise and thank Him, and implore Him for what we need.

www.adorationpro.org/ihmmi

www.ihmadoration.blogspot.com

A Lenten Invitation
 

                         To honor this season of Lent we are inviting you to slow down and go deeper.

                               Deeper into the questions being asked and the answers given.
                               Deeper into the images and words being shared.
                               Deeper into prayer periods and books being read.
 

                              May this Lent bring you closer to the One who dwells deep within you.

Adoration of the Eucharist

Adoration of the Eucharist

The basis for all Eucharistic devotion is the fact that Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is the Son of God in human form.

The Eucharistic Food contains, as all are aware, “truly, really and substantially the Body and Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”  It is no wonder, then that the Church, even from the beginning, adored the Body of Christ under the appearance of bread; this is evident from the very rites of the august Sacrifice, which prescribed that the sacred ministers should adore the Most Holy Sacrament by genuflecting or by profoundly bowing their heads.

The Sacred Councils teach that it is the Church’s tradition right from the beginning, to worship “with the same adoration the Word Incarnate as well as His own flesh,” and St. Augustine asserts that:

“No one eats that flesh without first adoring it,”
         while he adds that “not only do we not commit

         a sin by adoring it, but we do sin by not adoring it”

(Encyclical Mediator Dei - 1947 Pius XII - paragraph 129-130)

Everything else depends on this primary article of faith: that the Eucharist contains the living Christ, in the fullness of His human nature, and therefore really present under the sacred species; and in the fullness of His divine nature, and therefore to be adored as God.

www.adorationpro.org/ihmmi

www.ihmadoration.blogspot.com

Pray for Numbers

"I Am With You Always" (Mt 28:20).  With these words Jesus assures the disciples, and all of us, that He will walk with us throughout our life's journey.  Whether in triumph or tragedy, He is there.  Not only are we bathed in God's loving presence; as baptized we join the rest of the faithful to become the Body of Christ.  Together we pool our special gifts and unique talents to be present to one another and to fulfill the great commission.

Please pray during the month of March for an increase in the number of permanent Adorers to our chapel.  If you know of anyone interested please show them the scheduling page within www.adorationpro.org/ihmmi where they can see the hours where if they sign up can be of most help.

Pray Through Adoration

without ceasing

God is with us in many different ways but none more intimate than experiencing Him face-to-face in adoration.  Spending time with Jesus in His sacrament of Love will fill your heart with abiding joy and bless your days, your job, your families, your life with His protection and grace.  Each hour given to Our Lord bears fruit a hundredfold in this life and in the next.

St. Augustine is quoted as saying "He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent."  In other words - nothing happens until YOU do something.  Don't wait.  This is YOUR TIME to step up and PRAY.

Join your many fellow parishioners who have stepped up by spending an hour every week in the Adoration Chapel 'doing something'.  Commit to an hour each week and let God know you are seriously in-love with Him.

www.ihmadorationpro.org/ihmmi