We Are Beloved Children

 A Beloved Child

“When we adore the Lord Jesus present in the Eucharist, we receive a new outlook on our lives as well: I am not the things I possess of the successes I can achieve.  The value of my life does not depend on how much I can show off nor does it diminish when I encounter failures and setbacks.  I am a beloved child, each of us is a beloved child.  I am blessed by God.  He wants to clothe me with beauty and free me from all slavery.”

“Let us remember this: whoever worships God does not become a slave to anyone.  They are free.  Let us rediscover the prayer of adoration, a prayer that is frequently forgotten.  Adoration … frees us and restores us to our dignity as children, not slaves.”
                               Pope Francis - from a Sept 2022 homily

Truly Present - No Mistake

 Uniquely Present
The fathers of Vatican II point out that Christ is indeed present in a variety of ways - in the very intelligibility of the universe, in the gathered assembly at Mass, in the reading of the Scriptures, in the person of the priest - but he is “really, truly, and substantially” present, that is to say, in a qualitatively different way, in the Eucharistic elements.  Thomas Aquinas gave voice to the same conviction when he said that the power of Christ is operative in the other sacraments, but Christ himself is present in the sacrament of the altar.  

Experience his true presence by sitting silently in the chapel and letting his Being wash over you.  If you’re not a regular Adorer we, like Our Lord, invite you to visit and feel his presence.  Once you experience it, you’re encouraged to make a weekly appointment to spend an hour with him.  We all know how important compound interest is to our retirement account; but do you realize that time spent in his presence compounds the value of grace we earn in our heavenly account?

The Importance of the Rosary

 Read This … It’s Important.

October 7th (Friday) this week, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.  Known for several centuries by the alternate title of “Our Lady of Victory”.  The feast day takes place in honor of a 16th century naval victory which secured Europe against Turkish invasion.  Pope St Pius V attributed the victory to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was invoked on the day of the battle through a campaign to pray the Rosary throughout Europe.  The power of the Rosary and the courage of the Catholic navies obtained an historic triumph over the Turks, and saved Christiandom from the advancing Turkish power.

Today, just as in the 16th century we desperately need Our Lady’s intervention through the Holy Rosary to turn back the moral, spiritual and physical threat we face as a State with the proposed passing of the Reproductive Freedom for All initiative, Proposal 3.  This Proposal, if passed, will codify abortion-up-to-birth and partial-birth abortion in our state constitution.  As Christians this is something we have to do all possible to stop from happening.

Won’t you join the thousands of Catholic Michiganders who signed up and are praying the 54-day Rosary Novena aimed at defeating Proposal 3 on the ballot.  This is something you can join anytime so don’t even think ‘it already started, so I won’t’.  Every single rosary is important and Our Lady will overcome this treat if we turn to Her in confident prayer and courageous action.  To be counted, and to get text reminders, text “FightLikeHeaven” to 84576.

Make the commitment.  It will cost you about 20 minutes a day; which is insignificant compared to the possibility there could be a fetus in its mother’s womb who will benefit from what you are doing.  Jesus is keeping track.

Power Of A Word - Don't Miss This ...

 The Power Of A Word

Pope Benedict XVI, in an essay written in the 1970s, said that transubstantiation is the act by which the Creator grasps the bread and wine by the very roots of their being and transforms them into pure signs, that is to say, into pure bearers of the presence of Jesus, so that they no longer speak of themselves of refer to themselves, but only to Christ.  How is this change brought about?  The Council of Trent said by the power of the words of consecration, which are nothing other than the words of Jesus.

This simple observation gives us a most important key to understanding the Real Presence.  In his How to Do Things with Words, the twentieth-century philosopher of language J. L. Austin observed that language has much more than a descriptive purpose, for at times it can be used to change and affect reality.  If a properly deputized officer of the law says to you, “You’re under arrest,” whether you like it or not, whether the officer’s judgement was sound or not, you are in fact under arrest.  His words have changed reality.  Or if a National League umpire shouts “You’re out” as Anthony Rizzo slides into third base, the  unfortunate Cub is, whether he likes it or not, in point of fact, out.  An umpire’s words can, quite literally, change the course of a game.  Now consider the case of the divine word.  God’s word is not simply descriptive but is rather, in the most powerful sense of the term, creative.  God says, “Let there be light,” and there is light; God says, “Let us make man in our own image and after our likeness,” and so it happened.  The prophet Isaiah reminds us that the divine word goes forth and does not return without accomplishing the purpose for which it was sent.  Now Jesus is not one interesting religious figure among many, not merely a sage or prophet, but rather, as St. John put it, the Word made flesh, Yahweh’s Word in person.  Therefore, what Jesus says, is.  When he said, “Little girl, get up,” she got up; when he said “Lazarus, come out,” the dead man came out, when he said, “My son, your sins are forgiven,” they were forgiven.  The night before he died, Jesus took bread and give thanks, and then said, “Take this all of you and eat it, this is my body.”  In a similar way, after the meal, he took a cup filled with wine and said, “Take this, all of you, and drink from it; this is the cup of my blood.”  The divine word, which creates the universe, can change reality in the most fundamental way.  By the power of the words of the consecration the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ.  The Eucharist - along with creation itself - is the most concentrated instance of a divine word event, and it is for this reason that the church has always insisted on the dense reality of what happens in the Eucharistic change.     Exploring Catholic Theology  Robert Barron  pp170-171

Jesus promises, “I will be with you always” (Mt 28, 20) Take him at his word … he’s waiting.

Fortunately for us he’s patient, but that doesn’t mean you should delay, because you really don’t know how much time you have.  Go spend time in his presence by visiting the Adoration Chapel. 

Begin to Look Outwardly

You Begin to Look Outwardly

Jesus told us to “love one another as I have loved you”. (John 13.34)  Spending time in Adoration connects us to the whole world - after all, we’re spending time with the Creator of all things!  More time praising and adoring God means you can look beyond your own concerns and see the needs of others in your life and in the world that we live in.

    Ruth Kennedy - Catholic Link

The Eucharistic Revival has begun.  Have you thought about what you might do to get involved in enhancing your relationship with God?  Why not take a look at their website for ideas:  https://reviveparishes.com

 Love’s Exhibition

Thomas Aquinas in the third part of the Summa theologiae observes that the “real” presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a function of Christ’s friendship with his people, for there is no higher sign of intimacy than the desire to be with one’s friends.  Such intimacy would hardly be signaled by a mere figurative presence.

Many mystics and saints have mention how Jesus longs to simply be with us because of his unfathomable love and friendship.  One way he exhibits his love and friendship is by being present in our Adoration Chapel.  Why not spend a little time this week in the chapel reflecting love and friendship back to him?  Don’t forget to add thanksgiving.

Pray To Increase Number Of Committed Adorers

 Pray For Adoration Help

“I am with you always” (Mt 28:20).  With these words Jesus assures His 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, but by our baptism 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 September for an increase in the number of permanent Adorers visiting our chapel.  If you know of anyone interested please show them the scheduling page within www.adorationpro.org/ihmmi where they can see the entire schedule and choose an hour convenient for them.