Brides of the Most Blessed Trinity
Sixty-Seventh Visitation of Our Lady
October 30, 2004 Last Saturday of October Theriot, Louisiana
Claire Rose wrote: Today is a most beautiful day. The sun is shining and with a good breeze from the Gulf. My husband blessed inside and outside of our home with Holy Water. We are blessed by the presence of three beloved, holy priests, four Religious and about 125 pilgrims. All three priests heard confessions.
In Her July message to our Spiritual Director, Our Mother asked that Holy Mass be celebrated here today followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
This is the homily that Father gave on the Eucharist and Adoration:
Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, the Vicar of Christ on earth, a successor of Peter has declared October 2004 to October 2005 as the Year of the Eucharist. The Pope calls for a return to "various forms of the Eucharist, Holy Mass, personal prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, Hours of Adoration, periods of Exposition, Eucharistic Benediction and Eucharistic Processions." Our Holy Father declares "May our Adoration never cease."
In 1993 at the International Eucharistic Congress in Seville, Spain the Holy Father urged the establishment of Perpetual Adoration Chapels throughout the world. While Perpetual Adoration has been carried out for centuries by religious communities, the Pope calls for Adoration in our own parishes. A new generation is discovering Eucharistic devotion. In the Youth 2000 program, teens and young adults were exposed to Adoration by our Holy Father. The Pope's popularity among teens is growing and teens are being swept up in the Presence of Christ.
The Second Vatican Council and all the Popes have stated that, "The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith as Catholics." Our Eucharistic Lord is the greatest treasure of our Faith. Why? Because it is really Jesus Present in the Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity! Though we can see Jesus only through the eyes of faith, we can see and experience the results of His true Presence. When we receive Jesus in Holy Communion we are reformed, transformed and strengthened. We are reformed into true Christian disciples, transformed into His image and strengthened and nourished for our daily walk with Jesus. We are fed by Jesus in the Sacred Host; Jesus is our 'soul food.' Just as our bodies need food for energy, so do our souls, lest we grow weak from spiritual starvation. We need Jesus in the Eucharist for our very survival and revival. When we receive and spend time in the Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, we are energized and empowered to love and serve God and others. Love is the bond of unity. Love comes only through the Sacrament of Love, Holy Communion and the God of Love.
At Mass, before the Consecration, the priest holds his hands over the gifts of bread and wine and prays that the Holy Spirit change the bread into the Body of Christ and the wine into the Blood of Christ. This is what Jesus did at the Last Supper 2000 years ago. After the Consecration, the priest extends his hands over the assembly of worshippers and prays that the same Holy Spirit through an infusion of love, change all those who receive Holy Communion into a community of love, the body of Christ, the Church.
Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta said, "Jesus wants us all to come to Him in the Blessed Sacrament. He is there in person, just waiting for you. Nowhere on earth are you more loved, than by Jesus, living in the Blessed Sacrament. The time you spend with the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth. Each moment you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make your soul everlasting, more glorious and beautiful in Heaven, and will help bring about an everlasting peace on earth."
I believe that Perpetual Adoration here on earth means Perpetual Adoration in Heaven.
Blessed Mother Theresa and her sisters spend an hour before the Blessed Sacrament every day. Mother Theresa said that,"through the Holy Hour our love for Jesus becomes more intimate, our love for each other more understanding, and our love for the poor more compassionate."
Adoration has doubled the number of vocations in religious orders like Mother Theresa's. Communities have grown and blossomed; there is now a long waiting list to enter these religious orders. Maybe we can learn from them.
Jesus said in John 6:35, "I Myself am the living bread come down from Heaven."
"Behold I will be with you always even to the end of the world because I have loved you with an everlasting love and constant is my affection for you."
Matthew 6:21 "Where your treasure is, there is your heart."
Matthew 26:40 "Could you not watch one hour with Me?"
Matthew 11"Come to Me all of you who labor and I will refresh you."
Peter 5:7 "Cast all of your anxieties upon the Lord, who cares for you."
John 20:29 "Blessed are they who do not see and yet believe."
"Faith can move mountains. What is needed is trust."
"Behold I come to make all things new."
The word Eucharist means thanksgiving. This Sacrament is called the Lord's Supper; the memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection, the Holy Sacrifice. Jesus said, "Do this in memory of Me."
We recall Jesus' Passion Death and Resurrection and His coming again in the Eucharist. The Mass is celebrated on Sundays, the day of the sun, the day Jesus rose from the dead. Mass is celebrated every day in the Catholic Church except on Good Friday, the day Jesus died.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to His Church in this unique way. Since Christ was about to take his departure from His own visible form, He wanted to give us His Sacramental presence. In the Eucharist He remains in our midst."
The word communion means union with Jesus and the communion of Saints. Communion separates us from sin. His Body and Blood were shed for the many for the forgiveness of sins. It cleanses us from our past sins and preserves us from future sins. Only ordained priests can preside at the Eucharist. Therefore pray for Holy Priests to celebrate Holy Mass.
Why is this ministry of the Brides of the Most Blessed Trinity so important? Because without priests, there would be no Mass, no Jesus for us. Jesus said, "pray unceasing, pray always."
In many dioceses churches are closing due to a decline in the number of priests. Parishes are being linked and one priest is serving two or three parishes. Catholic schools once taught by nuns are now being taught by good lay people.
Father Mark Toups, our vocation director stated Thursday night that "there is one priest to 2,700 parishioners in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux." The job as vocation director is not only Fr. Mark's job, but it is all our job. The way we speak about priests influences our youth for or against being a priest. The Brides are called to pray for vocations to the priesthood. Affirm your priests. Thank them for making Christ present for you in the Eucharist.
In this year of the Eucharist, let us celebrate an extra Mass in the week or an Hour of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. In this year of the Eucharist let us teach our children to genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament or to make the Sign of the Cross as they pass in front of a Catholic Church out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament.
Let us in this year of the Eucharist celebrate the Sacrament of Penance often before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. Let us fast from food or drink one hour before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion so that we can hunger for Jesus.
It is a wonderful time to be Catholic! It is a wonderful time to be living in this Year of the Eucharist!
Our Mother Mary has asked that Mass be celebrated today as we begin the Year of the Eucharist. She has also asked for Adoration following Mass today. Her message today is:
"JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST"
"Hunger for My Son. He awaits you!
Look at My Son in the Host and see how much He loves you.
This is why you should ask your parish priest to have Perpetual Adoration in your parish.
You should worship in parishes that honor Jesus in Adoration.
Your life must be woven around the Eucharist.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, bring your hearts close to His Divine Heart.
Ask Him to grant you the grace of knowing Him, the love of loving Him, the courage to serve Him.
Seek Jesus!
Jesus is really there in Person, waiting just for you!"
End of Homily, end of Message from Our Mother through Priest______
During the month of October 35 new brides were received in Dayton, Ohio plus 4 children became bridesmaids. In Asheville, North Carolina 3 new brides were received. Four more were received here in Theriot today, the Last Saturday bringing the total Consecrated brides to 550.
Please pray daily for holy priests and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood.
We invite you to join us on the Last Saturday of November. 11-27-04 at 2:00 P.M.
We extend a special invitation to the youth.
Prayer cards are available upon request simply by writing to:
Brides of the Most Blessed Trinity
1681 Bayou duLarge Road
Theriot, Louisiana 70397
***Above is the picture from the Prayer Card***
***Daily Prayer for Priests on other side***