THE INSTITUTION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST

MT. 26:26-28. / And also Jn. 6—Read and meditate…

 

Two of the greatest gifts that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ left for us as most powerful means to get to our eternal goal, heaven, were the most Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Jesus left us this great gift of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. The Last Supper was the first Holy Mass. Then the following day, Good Friday, Jesus left us another sublime and most consoling gift, and it was His most Holy Mother, Mary most Holy.  These were the words of the bestowing of this great gift: “Woman, behold, your son. Then he said to the disciple, Behold, your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (Jn. 19:26-27).

OUR LADY AND THE MASS AND EUCHARIST.   Most certainly Our Lady can help us to appreciate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the most Holy Eucharist and the reception of Holy Communion better. Mary always connects us, links us, and unites us with her Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. She nourished within her most pure body, her precious womb the Body and Blood of Jesus. We receive the Body and Blood of Jesus within our souls every time we receive Holy Communion. Of course Our Lady can help us to upgrade and improve our reception of the great Gift—Jesus—that was given to the world through Mary. Talk to Mary right now and beg her for greater faith, love and devotion for the Holy Eucharist. Implore Our Lady for an ardent desire and yearning to receive her Son Jesus in Holy Communion more frequently but also more fervently—with a more passionate love. Our Lady is listening to you right now!

MARIAN APPARITIONS AND THE HOLY EUCHARIST. How fascinating indeed it is that in the three most famous Marian Apparitions—of course approved by Holy Mother Church—had a very strong Eucharistic thrust. What are these three most famous Marian Apparitions? In chronological order they are the following:

1)    Our Lady of Guadalupe—in the City of Mexico: four Marian apparitions took place in the year 1531.  Our Lady asked through her servant Saint Juan Diego that a Church be built there in Tepeyak. Why the Church?  For this simple reason: so that Holy Mass would be celebrated and the people could receive Jesus, the Son of Mary, in Holy Communion. Millions of pilgrims come every year! Many come to visit Our Lady and many come to the Basilica to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. As Mary’s womb contained Jesus, the Tabernacle is the House of Jesus now; the Tabernacle is the living heartbeat of the Church. Mary helped to form the Sacred Heart of Jesus in her womb for nine months.

2)    Our Lady of Lourdes—in a mountain-region in France. Our Lady appeared to a simple, humble, sickly little girl BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS. The apparitions were many—18 in total. Our Lady asked that a Church be built there. Many miracles have occurred in Lourdes.  However, of greatest importance: most of the miracles occur at dusk during the course of the Eucharistic procession outside the Church. The same Jesus, the Son of Mary, who healed so many people of their sicknesses is still healing people today, if they entrust themselves to both Jesus and Mary. Why not turn to Mary and Jesus right now and beg for the grace of healing. Why not beg Our Lady, “Health of the Sick” that through her prayers to Jesus you might be healed. Beg Our Lady for the healing of your total person. Beg Our Lady for the healing of your past memories that come back to torture you in the present. Implore Our Lady’s prayers to heal your soul wounded by past sins; some of these are gaping wounds. Ask Our Lady for the grace to break with past bad habits—possibly vices—that have the power to enslave you. Ask Our Lady to heal your body that possibly in the past you have used more to sin and offend God then to glorify His Holy Name! Healing comes most powerfully through Our Lady’s prayers that lead us to Jesus present in His Church which is His Mystical Body; but most especially the healing comes through Confession and the worthy reception of Holy Communion, the Body (given by Mary) Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus.

3)    Our Lady of Fatima—took place in a small town in Portugal, Fatima. Our Lady appeared to three small shepherd children—Jacinta, Francisco and their cousin Lucia de los Santos. Before Our Lady appeared to the children, the Angel of Portugal appeared. Strikingly, the last appearance of the Angel was marked with a Eucharistic miracle that changed the lives of the children. Suspended in the air on high, above the Angel could be seen the Chalice which contained the Precious Blood of Jesus, the Son of Mary; then below the Chalice could be seen the large Host that the priest lifts up in Holy Mass during the consecration. The Angel told the children to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus that was already so much offended; in other words, the angel wanted them to make a Communion of reparation for the sins against the Holy Eucharist. This they did. Jacinta and Francisco took from the chalice—a prophecy of their early deaths. Lucia received the Sacred Host.  Then Our Lady appeared to the three children on six consecutive occasions. Our Lady asked that a Church be built there. Why the Church? Once again the response is the same: to honor, love and adore Jesus—the Son of Mary—who descends from heaven in every consecration and descends into human hearts every time they receive Holy Communion.  To love Mary is to love her Son Jesus and to love Jesus is to love His Mystical Body which is the Catholic Church. To love Jesus most is to have an ardent and burning desire to receive Him into our hearts, minds and souls in Holy Communion.  Saint Paul says: “Put on the mind of Christ…” then St. Paul says: “You have the mind of Christ.”  Mary formed the mind of Jesus within her womb for nine months. We have the mind of Christ when we receive Holy Communion worthily. Beg Our Lady as well as Blessed Jacinta and Blessed Francisco for the grace to receive Jesus with great love, devotion fervor as well as frequency in Holy Mass and Holy Communion.

Saint Pope John Paul II has made this wonderful connection between Our Lady and Holy Communion.   The spiritual giant, St. Pope John Paul II says that the “Yes” (Fiat) of Mary in the Annunciation is similar to when we say “Amen” before receiving Holy Communion. The result is the same: receiving Jesus into the very depths of our souls. Let us beg Our Lady for a greater hunger and thirst to receive Jesus the Bread of Life. Amen.

(Suggestion: view the movie “The greatest miracle”/ “El gran milagro”). This can help to supplement your meditations on this wonderful theme of Mary and the Holy Eucharist.