My Friends,
May is a month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today, May 1, our nation is renewing its consecration to Our Lady. As we do that, we call upon Mary to intercede for us to the Lord, begging for an end to this pandemic.
We place ourselves in her care, confident as always that she will keep us close to her, watch over us and along with the strength and grace her Son gives us, help us in our day to day struggles especially during these chaotic times.
Let us pray to our spiritual Mother Mary as we celebrate her and consecrate not only our Nation to her protection but ourselves as well.
The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me, Amen.
Hail Holy Queen
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
God Bless,
Father John
In our first reading today, we hear the very familiar story about the conversion of Saul. Saul was persecuting anyone who would believe in this Jesus of Nazareth. Saul encounters the Lord who asks why he is persecuting Him. Saul asks who He was and when he is told, Saul’s sight is taken from him. After following Christ’s instructions, Saul’s sight is eventually restored and as we know, he experiences a conversion. He goes from a persecutor to a tremendous defender of the faith.
All of us are somewhat blinded at times from the truth. Some of us more than others. All of us, including myself, needs to undergo a conversion experience. Sure we believe in Jesus. But each of us needs to shed little by little anything that may make us less than Christ-like. Perhaps we’re somewhat prejudiced, uncharitable, unforgiving. Whatever it be, all of us need to change our lives. When we continue to change our lives, it will become easier to as the Responsorial Psalm says; Go out and tell the Good News about Jesus.
This Jesus is now risen from the dead and tells us we will have life with Him- eternal life. The way that we merit that eternal life is to feed at the Lord’s table and nourish ourselves as Christ tells us in today’s Gospel. Jesus tells us that if we don’t, we have no life within us.
Receiving the Eucharist doesn’t guarantee us eternal life but it helps us, fortifies us and strengthens us to live our everyday lives in a more Christ like way.
May Christ in the Eucharist make us what He has called us to be.