The Eucharist is: profound, mysterious, dynamic, inviting, life-changing. Holiness is possible.
The more I think about myself, the unhappier I become, and the more likely I am to say yes to the wrong things. The ability to say yes carries with it a power and a responsibility that few people in history have reflected upon enough to take it seriously. For the most part, we take it for granted and misuse this extraordinary ability. But every time you say yes, it changes you forever. One of the fruits of consecration is an expanded awareness of how powerful our yes is. Consecration is about saying yes to God. Your consecration to the Eucharist will be a great yes. It will be one of the greatest yeses of your life. One word, three letters, yes. It all comes down to that in the end. Are we willing to say yes to God?
There are some beautiful lines in the Scriptures that sum everything up. On the wall in my children's room is a picture of Noah's arc. And inscribed in the wooden frame are these words from Genesis. Noah did all that God asked him to do. That's it. Just do what God asked you to do. One moment at a time, we are each called to embrace His will. It is monumentally simple, but we find endless ways to complicate and avoid it.
When the angel Gabriel came to Mary to announce that God wanted her to bear His Son, she gave a complete yes in response. In that moment of beautiful surrender, Mary became the first tabernacle to hold the body and blood of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Each time you receive the Eucharist, you also become a living tabernacle. Mary's yes echoes throughout history. Her humble words of surrender, "Be it done unto me, according to your Word," is a spirituality unto itself. Seeking and doing the will of God has been the path of saints for over 2,000 years.
While there's an endless amount of inspiration to be gleaned from Mary's surrender, it is what happened next that opens our eyes to what it really means to carry Jesus into the world. Mary had just been told that she was to become the mother of God, to carry the Messiah in her womb, and yet her first thought was for others. How often is your first thought for others? We read in the Scriptures that Mary arose and went with all haste to her cousin Elizabeth, who Mary had just discovered was pregnant in her old age with John the Baptist. When was the last time you responded to your spouse, parents, or customers with all haste? When your husband or wife asks you to do something, or when your manager at work asks you to do a little extra, do you respond with an enthusiasm to serve?
We live in an age of meaninglessness because we have lost sight of the fact that our very purpose is to serve God and others And the more we think about ourselves, the unhappier we become. The more we fixate on serving ourselves, the more miserable we become. Mary rushed to serve Elizabeth. It was her first reaction, her instinctive response. Too often, my first reaction is one of selfishness. I don't feel like it. I'll do it later. Can't someone else take care of it? But Mary had an instinct to serve. An ingrained humility. There is plenty of unholy urgency in the world, but God wants to fill us with a holy sense of urgency. Every day people are losing hope. God seems far from them. They feel forgotten, invisible, unloved. So much is at stake. Mary wants to teach us to love God and neighbor with this holy sense of urgency. With every little "Yes" that we give God, our spiritual senses will be awakened, restored, sharpened, strengthened. So say "Yes" to God. Say "Yes" to God today in as many little ways as possible. This way, you'll be ready when a big "Yes" is required of you. How will you do it? By realizing where the strength comes from. Can you do it by yourself? Absolutely not. Not a chance. No. But you can do it. Remind yourself with these words from Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And He wants to share His strength with you. He wants to fill you with His strength through the Eucharist. Trust, surrender, believe, receive. A little "Yes" can have a huge impact. Become a member of the International Society of the Eucharist today. We will send you a free copy of 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory, a copy of the Children's Version, a copy of the limited-edition Journal, which includes an amazing Holy Week retreat. Click on the button below and become a member today. Have a great day and remember, be bold, be Catholic. We are people of the Eucharist.
Jesus, I believe
That you are truly present
In the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist.
Every day, I long
For more of you.
I love you above all things.
And I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot receive you sacramentally at this moment.
I invite you to come and dwell in my heart.
May this spiritual communion
Increase my desire.
For the Eucharist.
You are the healer of my soul.
Take the blindness from my eyes
The deafness from my ears
The darkness from my mind
And the hardness from my heart.
Fill me with the grace, wisdom
And courage
To do your will in all things.
My Lord and my God
Draw me close to you.
Nearer than ever before.
Amen.
Consecrate America to the Eucharist.
Bye-bye.
Have a great day.
Have a great day.
Have a great day. Come on.
Have a great day.
Hey, Isabel. One simple way to be mindful of God's presence in the world is to know where the nearest tabernacle is. So while we've got a couple of minutes, I thought we might work on your geography a little.
Sounds good, Dad. You're always coming up with something.
If I was at latitude 34.77 and longitude of negative 112.05, where would the nearest tabernacle be?
Saint Cecilia, Clarkdale, Arizona.