September 23
"From the depths of my heart I thank You, dear Lord, for Your infinite kindness in coming to me. I thank You for nourishing my soul with Your Sacred Body and Precious Blood. Grant that I may spend the hours of the day gladly working with You according to Your will."
-Act of Thanksgiving
Today’s Reflection:
In what other ways are you grateful for the gift of the Eucharist?
September 20
"It is through the sacraments and the exercise of the virtues that the sacred nature and organic structure of the priestly community is brought into operation. Incorporated in the Church through baptism, the faithful are destined by the baptismal character for the worship of the Christian religion; reborn as sons of God they must confess before men the faith which they have received from God through the Church. They are more perfectly bound to the Church by the sacrament of Confirmation, and the Holy Spirit endows them with special strength so that they are more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith, both by word and by deed, as true witnesses of Christ. Taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the fount and apex of the whole Christian life, they offer the Divine Victim to God, and offer themselves along with It. Thus both by reason of the offering and through Holy Communion all take part in this liturgical service, not indeed, all in the same way but each in that way which is proper to himself. Strengthened in Holy Communion by the Body of Christ, they then manifest in a concrete way that unity of the people of God which is suitably signified and wondrously brought about by this most august sacrament.
-Lumen Gentium, No. 11
Today’s Reflection:
Why do you think the Eucharist is the "fount and apex of the whole Christian life"?
September 19
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
-2 Corinthians 3:18
Today’s Reflection:
When we come with openness of heart to pray before the Presence of our Lord, we grow more and more into His likeness. How is this evident in your life?
September 17
"In our inner life it is the Eucharist above all which expresses our personal union with Jesus...The more perfectly we become assimilated to Christ in the Eucharist the more perfect will be our unity in him."
-Canon Jacques Leclercq
Today’s Reflection:
How much do you desire to be united to Jesus? How is this reflected in your time with Him at mass and adoration?
September 16
"Jesus, transform me, miserable and sinful as I am, into your own self..."
-St. Faustina Kowalska
Today’s Reflection:
Jesus desires that each of us become a temple in which He dwells continually and that we be transformed into His very image and likeness. How will you take this great gift and imbue the world with His presence?
September 15
"The priest says 'Let us give thanks to the Lord.' Certainly we ought to give thanks to God for having invited us, unworthy as we are, to so great a gift; for God having reconciled us to Himself when we were His enemies; for having made us His adopted sons by the Spirit."
-St. Cyril of Alexandria (350 AD)
Today’s Reflection:
What does this quote from St. Cyril tell you about the reason for giving thanks to the Lord during Holy Mass.
September 14
"How sweet the [Eucharistic] presence of Jesus to the longing, harassed soul! It is instant peace, and balm to every wound."
-St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Today’s Reflection:
Dear Lord, How many times have I experienced the healing balm of Your Presence, both in the Eucharist and through Your Word in Sacred Scripture! Plunge me ever deeper into the Sacred Mysteries, that they may produce abundant fruit in my life. Amen.
