South Wight R.C.Parish, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor
2021 - The Year of The Eucharist
Our Bishop of Portsmouth Bp Philip Egan says: In
these years 2020 to 2022, I am inviting everyone in the Diocese of
Portsmouth to undertake, by God’s grace, a period of intense, spiritual
renewal. ....
Now in 2021-2022, in our Diocese of Portsmouth, as we complete our
Year of the Word, we keep also a Year of the Eucharist.
https://www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk/yearoftheeucharist
| Welcome from Bishop Philip |
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Portsmouth Diocese e-News Issue 324
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http://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/liste/list.htmln
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Our Parish of South
Wight invites you for Adoration. There will be
opportunity for more reflection on the Holy Sacrament and we have some
of the posters of the Eucharistic miracles, on display.
HUMILITY IN THE LIGHT OF THE EUCHARIST
Humility is the one of the basic virtues in spiritual life. We need to hear more; we are always slow learners in the school of humility. Indeed, who is humble amongst us? We are all beginners when it comes to humility.
The reason we need often to hear about humility, because we need to experience the graces of the moment, since this brings us into new light and fresh understanding. Conveniently we are ever more eager in our longing for this essential virtue.
The most important element in our lives is to experience the presence of God. We can find God, in beauty which He created, in lonely places like; mountains, sea, forest, all nature. Others experience in the holy places, on retreats or in the liturgy. Others might find Him in Jesus Christ ‘where two or three gathered in my name’ in love of Gospel. One of the
most encountered manifestations of God is in ‘humble and contrite heart’ (ps 51).
But unfortunately, often we are not attentive to the presence and manifestation of God in our lives, because we are full of ourselves. Our sins block us from seeing and feeling His presence.
Here is where these two Sacraments come to our help; The Eucharist and Reconciliation.
We know that ‘until we recognise our sinfulness and admit to our condition of being spiritual beggars, we will not anticipate Holy Eucharist in a deep sense. We can anticipate Mass in an emotional way, but if we remain in a state of aridity, only a clearer understanding of our own spiritual wretchedness will awaken in us the desire to be cleansed by participating in the Holy Mass. Initially, this desire may flow not so much from love of Christ as from the horror of surveying our spiritual condition. Authentic love for God will only be born from suffering; it will be the fruit of carrying the cross, that will – to some degree – crush our self-love and pride. To overcome pride, we must accept in some shape of form moments when God humbles us; this all depends on our openness, and the extent to which our pride has to be crushed. Many saints were grateful for humiliations. St Bernadette says: ‘for the slap in the face, for the ridicule, the insults, and for those who thought I was mad, those who suspected me of lying, for those who suspected me for wanting to gain something from it, thank you, my Lord…’ (FNM)
On its own, humiliation leads us to isolation, but through faith, it moves us forward into the heart of Jesus. And it is there that we find our inner comfort, consolation and sweetness, which can’t even be put into words.
When faced with humiliation, do I endeavour to live through it to the end in the spirit of faith?
Humility is fundamental to our self-realisation. Humility is so important, because God is ready to give everything to a person who credits nothing to himself. If you live in truth and acknowledge that you can do nothing without Christ, it is as if you are beckoning to Him: Come and live in me. It is only then that Christ comes.
We must want to be humble. And we must pray for the grace of humility, despite not knowing exactly what it all entails – since Jesus
says: ‘Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart. (Matt 11:29) Do I really crave to become a humble person?
Humility cannot exist without truth; in fact, leads us into truth. In this way, she leads us to become genuine, to prayer and to apostleship or mission. She cleans us from our hidden plans, helps us to perseverance, and gives us spiritual health. Without humility, our best works, actions, good deeds and even prayers are no more than ‘emptiness and illusion’. In other words, humility is our courage to live the truth!
Am I brave enough to recognise the truth about myself? The whole truth? Do I always, and in all situations, want to live humbly?
Today Jesus remains alone in the tabernacle of empty churches, and there are not many who want to see Him and adore Him. This leads to the current situation in which many churches are closed when there are no celebrations. As for those who want to meet Him and adore Him, Jesus prepares a great gift of His mercy for them: He makes them humble, which means, particularly loved by His Divine Heart. ‘Adoration of the thrice-holy and sovereign supplications’ (CCC 2628)
‘The bread which is broken on our altars’ continues John Paul II in his encyclical, ‘offered to us as wayfarers along the paths of the world, is <panis angelorum>, the bread of angels, which cannot be approached except with the humility of the centurion: Lord I am not worthy to have You under my roof’ (Mt 8.*, Lk 6.6) ‘A trusting humility brings us back into the light of communion between the Father and His Son Jesus Christ (…) Asking forgiveness is the prerequisite for both the Eucharist liturgy and personal prayer’. (CCC 2631)
The first and the best example of humility we see in Jesus and Mary. Together with many saints we ask their intercessions for all of us, and our world today.
At Nazareth Mary living with Jesus. Her whole life was filled with the presence of Jesus. In her ordinary everyday life Mary lived with the Son of God who grew up before her eyes. The invisible God made visible in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Mary lived by faith, but she also lived through the events of the Eucharist. She witnessed the sacrifice of Christ. She united her sorrow to his terrible suffering. When Jesus was taken down from the cross He was placed in her arms. She had to await the
resurrection with faith; she who believed in the miracle of the incarnation, waited for the miracle of the resurrection to take place. She wants us to await with her for the miracle that takes place at every Eucharistic celebration. During Holy Eucharist we witness Christ’s redemption of humanity. He gives His life so that we might be freed from the shackles of sin. At the same time, He rises from the dead before our eyes, strengthening our hope, so that we too will be raised from the dead, and cleansed by the power of His Redeeming Sacrifice – thus being transformed from our faults. This however, will not happen automatically, but will depend on our inner disposition and on how humble we are to this unfathomable Mystery – the greatest of all gifts.
When you strive to lessen the Self-humiliation of Christ by asking Mary to receive Him for you and through you, then you give praise to the kenosis of True God and True Man. You link the attitude of humility, an attitude of acknowledgement that you are a sinner, with the faith in His incredible love for you. This love, at the price of the self-humiliation that is beyond your imagination, wants to bestow upon you the fruits of the Redemption.
Mary wants to share her humility with us; she wants to carry in Her arms through all the difficulties that overwhelm us. Does your love for Mary confirm your humility?
Humility is not understood; it has never been fashionable, and it doesn’t stand any chance of drawing great multitudes to embrace it, and yet, this world hungers for humility, since it hungers for God. (By Fr Joe & FNM-material)
How to prepare yourself to participate in the Eucharist.
Please see below booklet done by Sr Catalina Rivas:
Explained
to Catalina by Jesus and Mary from Eucharist
& mass
https://www.michaeljournal.org/articles/roman-catholic-church/category/eucharist-mass