By Larry Peterson
The following is for people of all faiths. It is also directed to atheists, agnostics, and all secularists too. If you do not believe, you can make a choice and try to see with the eyes of a FAITH that is available to you. If you do not approve, please delete. Thanks---(N.B. I am not a theologian or anything close to it. I am just a blue-collar guy from the Bronx sharing the faith that he loves)
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Something deeply mystical happens on Holy Thursday that many people (this may include some Catholics) do not understand. I refer to the Mass of the Lord's Supper. Lent ends when this Mass begins, which is usually in the evening. This Mass commemorates the night when Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist giving us His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity forever. He did this within the framework of what we call the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
We must have the Mass to have the Eucharist. They are inseparable for it is within the Mass that the ordained Catholic priest can consecrate simple bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Make no mistake, my friends, this is not a "remembrance" or a "memorial" or a "tribute". This is the unbloody sacrifice of the Cross being offered again and again and again to God the Father for all of us, for all time, in perpetuity.
We Catholics believe that Christ is TRULY PRESENT on the altar at Mass. These words are from the Roman canon: "we, your servants and your holy people, offer to your glorious majesty from the gifts that you have given us, this pure victim, this holy victim, this spotless victim, the holy bread of eternal life and the Chalice of everlasting salvation". Christ is with us and we, the people, are offering Him to God the Father. Our reward is the Risen Christ given back to us in The Eucharist by our Father in heaven. This is The Mystery of Faith and this is what we believe.
The meaning of this is beyond the pale. It transcends human comprehension. For this is when yesterday became today and tomorrow becomes yesterday. The Mass enables us to briefly step into eternity. And this Holy Sacrifice is being offered somewhere on planet Earth every day of the year round the clock. Imagine that, somewhere, every day, round the clock. It is the most beautiful thing this side of heaven.
I wrote this many years ago and I would like to
share it with you.
The Answer
Every minute somewhere
Upon this Earth
Amid chaos and pain
Shadowed by greed and pride
Perfection.
While within so many
Silent screams resonate
And fade unheardPain unanswered
Yet each minute
A constant Light
Always there for us to share
Somewhere---The Answer
But---choices
Perfection unbridled
That tells us why
And will let us understand
If we choose to see
this splendid Oblation
A perfect purity
This gift called The Mass
Ignored yet
Somewhere each minute
For us to share
The Answer there
The Perfect Love
But---choices.
The focus of the Lenten journey is preparation for Easter Sunday and the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Easter morning arrives and we sing out, "Alleluia, Alleluia! Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again." Eternal life can now be ours. All we have to do is follow Him. If you do not know how or where to start, The Answer might be here.
copyright©2015 Larry Peterson All rights reserved
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