“Cultivating a Passionate Love for God and a Compassionate approach to His People; Adoring Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist and in turn, being a Eucharist, in loving service, to one another!”
(Based on Maundy Thursday)
The initial years of the 20th Century saw communists seizing a Catholic parish and imprisoning the priest in his own rectory near the church. After being locked up in his own house, the priest looked out the window and was horrified to see the anti-Catholic militants enter the church.
Once inside, they went into the sanctuary, broke open the tabernacle and in an act of desecration, threw down the ciborium – scattering the Sacred Hosts on the floor.
The priest knew exactly how many Hosts had been in the ciborium: Thirty-two.
However, the communists either failed to notice, or did not pay any attention to a small girl who had been praying at the back of the Church.
She saw everything.
That night the girl returned, and slipping past the guard at the rectory, entered the Church where she made a Holy Hour.
After her Holy Hour, she went into the sanctuary, and kneeling down, bent over and received Jesus in the Holy Communion with her tongue (Since at that time, it was not permissible lay-people to touch the Sacred Host with their hands)
Each night, the girl returned to the church to make her Holy Hour and received Jesus in Holy Communion on her tongue, just as she did the first night.
On the thirty- second night, after having consumed the last Host, she accidentally made a noise that awoke the guard who was asleep at his post by the priest’s residence.
From his bedroom window, the priest could only watch in horror as the heartrending scene unfolded before his eyes:
The girl tried to run away…
…. But the guard chased her, grabbed her, and beat her to death with the butt of his rifle!
The little girl had a heroic martyrdom – all because of her tender and deep love for the Holy Eucharist!
It was this incident that would inspire Archbishop Fulton Sheen – one of the greatest 20th century proponents of the Catholic Church – to spend one hour each, daily, before the Holy Eucharist
The daring action of that little girl inspired the heart of another fervent soul, Fulton Sheen, who would go on to influence millions to love Jesus in the Holy Eucharist!
How is our love for the Holy Eucharist?
Twenty centuries ago, on this earth, Our Blessed Lord in the evening hours of the day, gathered around the table, with His disciples, His chosen ones.
Today, we too celebrate our God of Love.
This Year, we find ourselves in probably a “never before situation”
Unable to “physically attend” the Liturgical Services of the Holy Triduum.
Yet, we offer ourselves to the Providence of the Lord, and in union with the Church – the Communion of Saints – we reflect on certain important aspects of the Liturgy of this important day.
The Traditional Liturgy of the Day is divided into five parts – each of them highlighting a specific dimension of Love
- Liturgy of the Word – Love speaks to us
- Washing of the Feet – Love in action
- Liturgy of the Eucharist – Love in total self-giving and communion
- Procession to the Altar of Repose – Love accepting passion and suffering
- Adoration of the Holy Eucharist – Love is adored, glorified and exalted!
This is a day of celebration – of the Lord’s immense love for us.
This is also a day of commemoration – of the Lord’s immense passion and agony.
On one side is the joy of He loving us so deeply…
… on the other is the pain that we share in the Lord’s passion.
It would be nice to ask ourselves, looking deep into our innermost beings:
Am I a person of Love?
Do I yearn and long for the God of Love, especially in the Most Holy Eucharist?
The Lord is Holy.
And He wants and demands a Holy heart from each of us.
For over 40 days of the Lent, we have been in this process.
Let us today, once again, remove any stain of sin from our hearts, and prepare ourselves to receive the God of Love into our hearts worthily.
The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “Maundatum” – which means ‘command.’
We recall three commands today:
- The command of Love
- The command of Commemorating the God of Love in the Holy Eucharist
- The command of continuity of sharing of the Priesthood of Jesus, the Priest and Victim
Let this Day of the Celebration of Love help us to take a few practical, yet strong decisions
- Washing the feet of the other
This points to the aspect of lowering oneself, humbling oneself
… forgiving someone we hate or dislike
… speaking good of someone whom we don’t like
… visiting a needy person and doing the needful for them
… listening to the pain and suffering of someone who is going through troubles in life.
- Cultivating a deeper love for the Holy Eucharist
Spending every day before the Blessed Sacrament for at least 15-20 min.
For those who cannot do so daily….
… trying as often as possible, to come before the Blessed Sacrament
… Spending time in prayer with the Lord, daily, at home
… Meaningfully and regularly praying the Act of Spiritual Communion
- Praying for priests…
… to be more holy and committed.
Praying for vocations from our own families.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen says: “The Greatest Love Story of all time, is contained in a Tiny White Host!”
Let us cultivate a passionate love for Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist…
… and reach out His Love in compassionate service to one another!
Wish you a Very Happy Feast Day!
Hearty Congratulations and God’s Abundant Blessings of Faithfulness and Zeal to all the Priests!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “When you have received Him [in the Eucharist], stir up your heart to do Him homage.
>> Speak to Him about your spiritual life, gazing upon Him in your soul where He is present for your happiness
>> Welcome Him as warmly as possible, and behave outwardly in such a way that your actions may give proof to all, of His Presence.”
Reflection Capsules 