When the Holy Father, political leaders, celebrities, or sports stars visit an area, many people will exert great effort to get tickets or jockey for a position close to them at an event. Some will even camp out overnight to reserve a place in line to get tickets or best choice of seats.
Sadly, there is not the same rush of enthusiasm for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. It's true that His Real Presence in the Eucharist is a mystery that we cannot understand and requires the gift of faith, but even among practicing Catholics Jesus is too often neglected outside of Mass times.
To my deepest regret, I admit that I was one of those Catholics. I faithfully attended Sunday Mass, but I regret the years that I could have attended daily Mass (or at least extra weekday Masses) and didn't. I regret the missed Holy Communions. I regret the missed opportunities to spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. God had provided well for me through the ministry of his Catholic priests, but I didn't take advantage of His generosity.
Even though I was neglecting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I did not abandon prayer. I always prayed for more faith. Thanks be to God, I realized I was lacking in faith (though not even sure in what ways), so never stopped praying for the gift that only God can give.
When God was ready to answer my prayer, He did it in a big way; and He did it through the Blessed Mother. I discovered a long forgotten booklet in my nightstand on the message of Our Lady of Fatima. After reading it, I was struck with remorse because of my neglect of praying our Blessed Mother's Rosary as she had repeatedly requested. This experience happened right before the month of May, so I promised her that I would attend Mass every day and faithfully pray the Rosary during that month specially dedicated to her. The first day of May I just got up and went to Mass without telling my sleeping husband I was leaving. Later, when he learned where I had been, he said he would have gone with me if he'd known. The rest of the month he went to Mass with me. When the month was ended, we easily decided that we felt so good about attending daily Mass that we would continue. That was in 1984, 25 years ago, thanks be to God and our Blessed Mother!
I don't know why God didn't answer my prayer sooner. I could have given Him more years of weekday Masses, Eucharistic adoration, and faithful attention to His Mother and ours. All I know is, I am grateful that He finally awakened in me an ardent love for Him in the Eucharist and attentive, loving loyalty to our Blessed Mother.
A prayer that I prayed from my youth is:
My Queen, my Mother, I give myself entirely to you,
and to show my devotion to you,
I consecrate to you this day
my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve.
Therefore, good Mother, as I am your own,
keep me, guard me as your property and possession.
Even though I was at times a neglectful daughter, she was always the best of mothers! She answered my prayers and guarded my faith. Even if you are not a Catholic or have reservations about praying to her, go to your Blessed Mother (Jesus gave her to you too!) for all your needs. You won't regret it! She is the surest pathway to the Heart of Jesus!
Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.
Photograph by Brother Lawrence Lew, O.P.
1 comment:
Thank you for sharing your story with us! What an inspiration and source of hope for those "on the path"! It's a sign that prayers are answered in His time and in His way--which are always best for us anyway!
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