By Michael H. Brown
[from
Secrets of the Eucharist]
The ultimate value of the
Eucharist is attainment of heaven.
In his book Crossing
the Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul II says the Eucharist and other
sacraments create in man "the seed of eternal life." When we receive Christ in
Communion we are exerting the ultimate faith in His ability to manifest among
us, and opening the door to realization that it is Heaven and only Heaven we
must aspire to!
Nothing else in life
matters. The afterlife is all-important. It's the reason for life on earth,
which is a test and preparation.
St. Margaret Mary said
that a soul in purgatory once appeared to her enveloped in fire and explained
that the greatest cause for his suffering (he was a Benedictine) was that in
life he had preferred his own interests to those of God. He had been overly
attached to his good reputation. His second defect was lack of charity to his
brethren, and a third was his all too natural attachment to creatures.
But after St. Margaret
Mary prayed and suffered for that soul, he was freed of his bondage. She saw him
radiant with joy and glory. He had finished his purgation.
Each time we receive Holy
Communion, according to St. Gertrude, something good happens to every being in
Heaven, on earth, and in purgatory. The Curs de Ars once added that a Communion
well received is worth more than a small fortune given to the poor. Each time we
receive Communion our place in heaven is permanently raised and our stay in
purgatory is shortened. While on earth, with limited vision, we will never be
able to appreciate the greatness of the Eucharist. We will never be able to
comprehend the real fact of reliving Christ's crucifixion.
But we know the
importance from places like Medjugorje. "Unceasingly adore the Most Blessed
Sacrament of the altar," said Our Blessed Mother. "Special graces are then being
received. Be kind to come to Mass without looking for an excuse. Pray, pray,
pray only. Prayer should be for you not only a habit, but also a source of
happiness. Abandon yourselves to God without any restrictions. Love your
enemies. Banish from your heart hatred, bitterness, preconceived judgments. If
you knew what grace and what gifts you receive, you would prepare yourselves for
(the Eucharist) each day for an hour at least. Pray, dear children, so that
God's plan may be accomplished, and all the works of Satan be changed in favor
of the glory of God.
"When I say `pray,
pray, pray,' I do not only want to say to increase the number of hours of
prayer, but also to reinforce the desire for prayer, and to be in contact with
God. Place yourself permanently in a state of spirit bathed in prayer. Dear
children, I want you to comprehend that God has chosen each one of you in order
to use you in a great plan for the salvation of mankind. You are not able to
comprehend how great your role is in God's design. The
Mass is the greatest prayer of God. You will never be able to understand
its greatness. That is why you must be perfect and humble at Mass. I beseech
you, pray to Jesus! I am His mother, and I intercede for you with Him, but
everything does not depend solely on me, but also on your strength and the
strength of those who pray. The Mass is the most important and the most holy
moment in your lives. If you abandon yourselves to me, you will not even feel
the passage from this life to the next life. You will begin to live the life of
heaven from this earth."
11/22/03
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