Transcript
The Eucharist is-- Powerful. Glorious. Divine. Amazing. Joyful.
Are you a pilgrim or a tourist?
Making an effort to listen can transform any relationship. Learning to listen deeply to the voice of God in our lives can change every aspect of our lives. When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. And they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Now guided by the Holy Spirit, Simeon came into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." And the child's mother and father were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too." When they had finished everything required by the law, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.
Have you ever waited with great anticipation? Did you wait patiently? What are you waiting for in your life right now? Simeon had waited. This was his moment. He had waited patiently, and he had prayed patiently. Now he took baby Jesus in his hand. Imagine the emotion as he pulled the child to his chest, his long gray beard caressing the child's head, his face filled with a strange combination of joy and anguish, joy for the present, anguish for the future, the future he knew or sensed the child would face, the tears streaming down Simeon's face. Put yourself there in the temple that day. Mary and Joseph have brought Jesus to present him to the Lord in obedience to the Jewish law. Mary, the mother of God, submits her child to the law of Moses.
Think about it. They are presenting God to God, and yet they are obedient to the law. If anyone was ever exempt from a law, it was Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in this very moment. But they chose obedience. This is a momentous act of humility. How often do we decide that, you know, a particular rule or law doesn't apply to us when we drive faster than the speed limit or neglect to declare some taxable income or leave our phones on when they should be turned off? We're really saying, "That law doesn't apply to me. That rule's for everybody else. I'm above the rules. I'm above the law." This is our arrogance. Poverty, chastity, and obedience. Obedience is by far the hardest to live. It's what an old monk once told me. To whom are you willing to be obedient? To whom are you willing to be obedient? We are allergic to the very word in our modern culture. It seems we are obedient only to our own desires. The word obedience comes from a Latin word which means to listen deeply. Listen deeply. Mary listened deeply. Simeon listened deeply. By listening deeply, they saw the wisdom of God's way.
With these inspirations in our hearts and minds, we turn to Jesus and pray. Lord, give us the patience of Simeon, knowing that our impatience gets in the way of obedience. Give us the grace necessary to see obedience as something that is life-giving rather than something oppressive. Help us to become a little more patient each day and light a flame of desire for obedience in our hearts. Inspire us to realize that your guidance, rules and laws are designed in part to protect us from the great misery people experience when they reject your wisdom. And knowing that we cannot love you if we are not obedient to you, we present ourselves to you today just as Mary and Joseph presented Jesus. Instruct us in all things, guide us in all things, command us in all things. We desire to be your faithful servants. Mary, pray for us and teach us to listen deeply to your Son. Amen.
Tomorrow's the big day. Are you ready? I think you are. Just as Joseph and Mary presented Jesus in the temple, tomorrow you will consecrate yourself and your life to Jesus in the Eucharist. This will be an epic moment in your life. Consecration to the Eucharist will change you in ways that you cannot even begin to understand. And so, my advice to you today is simple and practical. Tomorrow's going to be a momentous day. Get to bed early and get a good night's sleep. Trust, surrender, believe, receive. How many people do you know whose lives would be changed if they experienced this Eucharistic consecration? Join the International Society of Eucharist today and help us share it with them. We'll send you a free copy of 33 Days 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. What about if I was at a latitude of 42.37 and a longitude of negative 71.05, where would the nearest tabernacle be?
St. Stevens, Boston, Massachusetts