My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
In this month’s column there are a number of items I wish to cover.
First, we as a Catholic Church have gone through a tremendous period in history with the completion of the papacy of John Paul II and the beginning of the papacy of Benedict XVI. I marveled as I watched the wonderful media coverage of this great transition and the outpouring of love and recognition among so many in the world for Pope John Paul II.
People of every race, culture, and religious belief paid tribute to this holy and good man, a true son of God and of Mary, a true son of the Church. We were blessed to live through his pontificate, the third longest in history.
Benedict XVI too is a tremendous blessing for the Church. He will continue to proclaim the great truths of our Catholic faith, that Jesus Christ is Lord, the heart and center of our lives and history.
As a Church we are blessed by the divine institution of the Church, for she is truly the work of God. As we observe these transitions throughout the history of the papacy, we recognize God’s design and plan for the Church is not the work of human hands. It is the work of the Holy Spirit who guides the Church and keeps her faithful to the teachings received from Jesus Christ through the apostles in the living tradition of the Church. We have much for which to be grateful.
Second, May is the month in which we as Catholics have special devotion to Mary. On the cross, Jesus said to the disciple John, “Behold, your mother” (John 19:27). Mary is not just the Mother of God, the mother of Jesus Christ, she is our mother, too. She loves us as her children and we are called to return that love to her. As Catholics, we recognize Mary’s unique role in the plan of salvation. Without her, the incarnation, the Word made flesh, would never have been possible. Her cooperation with the plan of God brought about the definitive presence of God in history and salvation to the world.
The Church throughout her tradition in many of the Councils, including Vatican II, and in the writings of the popes for the last several centuries, teaches clearly Mary’s essential role in the life of Jesus Christ and the Church.
Each of is called to acknowledge Mary as our spiritual mother who tenderly loves us, knows us by name, and leads us into deeper intimacy with her Son. True devotion to Mary will always guide us to Jesus Christ and to a profound union with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Mary’s obedience and humility provide us with an example of the true attitude that we are to have as disciples before the living God. In our relationship with our God, we are always called to obedience to His will and laws, and to humility in recognizing that all that we have is a gift from God. Like Mary we stand before our God, and utter the words, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
As we complete the month of May, the month of Mary, which concludes with the celebration of the Feast of the Visitation on May 31, I encourage you to pray with Mary.
First, read the Gospel passages which reference Mary, and notice her response to the call of God and how she encourages Jesus in His mission. Meditate on her words in the Gospel, especially the dialogue prior to the incarnation and the Magnificat. Second, pray the rosary and reflect on the mysteries and how they lead us through the life of Christ. As the late John Paul II reminded us, “contemplate the face of Christ” with Mary as you pray. Third, read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, especially #484-511, #721-726 and #963-975.
Finally, and of most importance during this Year of the Eucharist, we should make a special effort to thank God for the gift of the Eucharist. We celebrate the gift of the Eucharist given to us by Jesus Christ as the most vital and substantial way He continues His presence here on earth. “The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’”
‘The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch’” (CCC 1324).
Our late Holy Father, John Paul II, desired to rekindle our amazement, wonder and love for the Eucharist through this year. I encourage you to honor the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. “In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist ‘the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained’” (CCC 1374).
I encourage each one of the faithful to consider giving one hour a week to Eucharistic adoration. Even if your parish does not have a set time for adoration, you are still able to visit your Churches and spend an hour in contemplation of our Lord’s presence in the Eucharist as He is present in the tabernacle of every Catholic Church. If an hour seems too much, start with 15 minutes and add some time each week. While contemplating the Eucharist, read the passages from the Gospel on the Eucharist, especially the institution narratives and John 6. Read too the section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on “The Sacrament of the Eucharist” (#1322-1419).
As we enter into summer, may our Lord richly bless each one of you. May He pour forth His abundant blessings on our farmers and their lands that their crops may be protected and fruitful. May Mary, our Mother, intercede for each one of us that we may be led to a deeper union with her Son, especially as we receive the Eucharist each Sunday.