To Jesus through Mary! Sunny greetings to you and yours this Saturday afternoon and happy Feast Day of St. Anthony of Padua! Tomorrow we celebrate Corpus Christi, the feast of The Most Precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. After not being able to receive Our Lord in the Eucharist for the past couple months due to the coronavirus pandemic, may we truly appreciate what a great gift we have been given to be able to receive the Lord, physically present in the Eucharist.
Last year we featured the Vatican Approved Exhibit on the Eucharistic Miracles of the World which was compiled Carlo Acutis, a teenage boy in Italy. This young man died of cancer at only 15 years old, but is on his way to sainthood. Just today, on the eve of Corpus Christi, it has been announced that he will be beatified on October 10. His work of spreading understanding and devotion to the True Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist is a testament to not only what a young person can do but also to the ability to use something like the internet for evangelization.
In his short time on earth, he not only created and inspired the Exhibit on the Eucharistic Miracles, but also one on apparitions of Mary, which is here at the Marian Center this year. To learn more about Carlo, click here.
So, without further ado, let’s talk about the Eucharist, the Sacred Heart, Carlo Acutis, and other amazing witnesses to the Faith.
The Importance of Corpus Christi
If the Holy Spirit was sent to us, why is it necessary for Jesus to also be with us in His Body and Blood? Gayle Somers explains it so well:
“The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is real but invisible, not open to the senses. He is Spirit; we are spirit and body. The worship of Israel always incorporated body and soul—invisible, unseen action in the heart and visible action in the body. The worship of the New Covenant continues to keep body and soul together. Nothing makes this clearer than the Eucharist! The bread and wine become Body and Blood; we take them into our own bodies in the act of eating, the most basic of bodily functions (no eating, no life).
“Just as the Passover meal was meant to help people with weak memories remember what God had done for Israel (and thus lead to worship), the Eucharistic meal helps us remember what Jesus has done for us (“Do this in memory of Me”), and thus becomes our worship. The Holy Spirit puts God’s own life in us, invisibly and spiritually; eating Jesus in the elements of a meal gives us physical (our flesh and blood) communion with Jesus (His flesh and blood). What a gift!”
Beatification Date Set for Carlo Acutis
It was announced this morning that Carlo Acutis will be beatified in Assisi on October 10!! This young man offered his suffering from leukemia for the Church.
Marian Minute
Each week we highlight a story that is featured in the Exhibit on Marian Apparitions — which is right here at the Marian Center. This week we chose the Apparition of Our Lady of Zeitoun. To learn more about this miraculous appearance of Mary, witnessed by millions of people, head on over to Church Pop.
Saint Spotlight
Happy Feast Day of St. Anthony of Padua!! Saint Anthony is probably one of the most popular saints invoked by people in everyday life. You’ve all probably heard the saying, “Anthony, Anthony, look around, something is lost and must be found.” We know that we’ve said that more times than we can remember and are teaching our children to ask for his intercession. To learn more about Saint Anthony and why he is the patron saint of lost things, head on over to Catholic Culture.
Nifty News
We have found a couple great vocation stories for you today. The first one is that of the father of 10 who embraced religious life and the second one is a pair of brothers who were ordained on the same day for the archdiocese of Mobile Alabama. The brothers received a calling to the priesthood while on a trip to the March for Life in Washington D.C. in 2011. To learn more about their vocation story, head over to the National Catholic Register.
Sunday Readings
Tomorrow is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Most Precious Body and Blood of Jesus, for a link to the Mass readings, follow this link. The Saint Paul Center has a reflection on the readings from Dr. Scott Hahn.
Liturgical Living
There are some awesome days to celebrate as a family this week. Follow the links below for a few ideas on how you can celebrate them with your family.
–Corpus Christi
–St. Anthony of Padua
–The Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart
Marian Center Update
The exhibit is open to the public! We are open for our full schedule from Tuesday to Friday 10 to 5, and Saturday 10 to 4. Hope to see you soon!
To Christ Through Mary,
Katie Moe and Lori Mercer
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