Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity
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"Hail, most blessed hope, and most holy redemption!
Hail true flesh of Christ, to me precious above gold and topaz and all most goodly stones!
Hail, most blessed blood of Christ,
poured forth to ransom me, a sinner,
and wash away my stains!
Hail, Jesus Christ, defend me against the ancient enemy." - St. Tresan
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This prayer of the 6th century Irish saint, which I came across in Magnificat, demonstrates the ancient faith in the real presence of Jesus Christ, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist. It isn't just a sign. "We eat this body and drink this blood."
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Today I think there are Catholics - priests included, who think it is only a sign, a symbol.
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I prefer to hold to the faith of the ancients... when I touch the Blessed Sacrament, I am touching Christ Himself.
Amen.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is a haven of sanity. God bless!
Amen.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is a haven of sanity. God bless!
Really? Thanks very much!
ReplyDeleteHow can something created by God ever be "just" a symbol? How can we doubt, if Christ has said "This is My body" that His soul and very essence are there present, and His divinity also?
ReplyDeleteCatholic Boy - of course you are absolutely right. Many of His followers left Him when Jesus explained the Eucharist, saying that it was too hard.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't call them back saying, "Don't worry - it's only a symbol."
Agreed. The world, and the Church, would be quite different if people had the proper respect for the Holy Eucharist. It is the Source and Summit of life, or it is supposed to be. I just read an entry on a monks' blog, where he made reference to adoration being 'optional' in his house. It struck me the wrong way. Of course, I have also had a Trappist monk shake his finger at me when hearing that I used to spend the Office hour of None everyday before the Blessed Sacrament. "But, Michael, that is not the sacraments." Huh? I still pray for him every day. Same monk told my group of retreatants that they have optional adoration on a particular weekly afternoon "for those of you who go for that kind of thing."
ReplyDeleteGod save us!
There are days when I do struggle with the Real Presence..it was the hardest thing for me to wrap my brain around during RCIA..
ReplyDeleteI continue to pray the prayer "Dear God I believe--help my unbelief."
Sara
me too Sara! That prayer, in regard not only to the real presence, but everything, puts me "in my place" so to speak, because I know I don't know God, but want to.
ReplyDelete