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Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed
Praised be Jesus Christ! Now and forever!
Dear Friends in Christ,
In the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist, the elements of bread and wine are completely and permanently changed into the sacred Body and precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. This miracle is called transubstantiation, and it is the work of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the promises of the Lord Jesus that He would remain with His Church always and that He would give us the gift of His Body and Blood unto everlasting life.
We must grasp the full measure of this miracle if we are to understand the Church’s ancient practice of reserving the Most Blessed Sacrament in a sacred vessel called a tabernacle. The tabernacle was first intended for the reservation of the Eucharist in a worthy place so that it could be brought to the sick, but as faith deepened in the real presence of Christ the Eucharist, the Church became aware of the profound meaning of silent adoration of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. For this reason, the tabernacle should be a noble and visible testimony to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and it should be located in the most worthy place in the church. For this reason, too, a special candle always burns near the tabernacle as a perpetual witness of Christ’s presence among us in the Eucharist. We are most fortunate to have at St. Mary’s a tabernacle and a sanctuary lamp of extraordinary beauty.
Because the Lord Jesus is present in a unique way in the Blessed Sacrament, praying in the presence of the Eucharist is an exceptionally fruitful form of giving God the adoration of divine worship. This is why the saints urge us to visit churches where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved, simply to spend time with Jesus, and our church is open each weekday from 7am to 5pm (enter by the side door which faces the parking lot) to allow such visitation. But the most solemn form of such prayer if offered when the Eucharist is exposed for adoration in a special vessel called a monstrance (from the Latin verb meaning “to show”). Every Wednesday afternoon from 5 to 6 pm, the Most Holy Eucharist is exposed for a Holy Hour of Adoration, during which Confessions are heard. The Rosary is prayed at 5:40 pm, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament follows at 6 pm. All are encouraged to deepen their love for the Lord Jesus by sharing in this ancient and moving form of Christian prayer.
Father Newman
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us.