These Faith Notes were written by Mike Blankman and were published in the bulletins. These were not kept in any particular order.
My heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor
sinners. If only they could understand that I am the best of Fathers to them
and that it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from my heart as from a
fount overflowing with mercy. For them I dwell in the tabernacle as King of
Mercy. I desire to bestow My graces upon souls, but they do not want to accept
them. You, at least, come to Me as often as possible and take these graces they
do not want to accept. In this way you will console My Heart. Oh, how
indifferent are souls to so much goodness, to so many proofs of love. My heart
drinks only of the ingratitude and forgetfulness of souls living in the world.
They have time for everything, but they have no time to come to Me for graces. (Words of Christ spoken to St. Faustina from
Diary of St. Faustina Maria Kowalska)
St. Faustina was called Apostle of Mercy and Secretary of Mercy by our Lord who appeared to her many times during her short life (1905-1938.) He poured out to her how much His love and mercy is rejected by souls. He asked her to have a portrait made of Him as He appeared to her with rays of blood and water flowing from His heart. He called Divine Mercy the greatest attribute of God. His love and mercy is a gift that will never be fully understood by either man or angel and yet is so little used. (For more information about the Divine Mercy go to: www.faustina.ch/index_en.htm) By Mike Blankman
We, in this country
and century, are perhaps inclined to take a too negative view of morality: to
think it means just not doing things which are forbidden… Morality for the
Christian is religion; and religion is love; and love is not negative but a
creative thing… The negative attitude of mind leads us away from the religion
of love to the religion of servile fear. What a terrible thing it is to teach
the young that being a good Catholic simply means avoiding doing certain
things…. God is terrible, yes; He is also lovely.
(The Divine Pity by
Fr. Gerald Vann O. P. )
We have to keep both qualities of God in mind. Especially during Lent and Holy Week we can tend to focus on the negative. We do need to look at our sins and be mindful of the terror and punishment. Servile fear, as a servant fears its master, is the lowest motive to avoid sin; a better motive is love. We would not want to offend God whom we love. Out of love we try to avoid sin and out of love God will forgive us. The greatest living sign of His love is the Eucharist. By Mike Blankman
Mission of Motherhood & Fatherhood
In the course of that pilgrimage
of faith which was his life, Joseph, like Mary, remained faithful to God's call
until the end. While Mary's life was the bringing to fullness of that fiat
first spoken at the Annunciation, at the moment of Joseph's own
"annunciation" he said nothing; instead he simply "did as the
angel of the Lord commanded him" (Mt 1:24). And this first
"doing" became the beginning of "Joseph's way." The Gospels
do not record any word ever spoken by Joseph along that way. But the silence of
Joseph has its own special eloquence, for thanks to that silence we can
understand the truth of the Gospel's judgment that he was "a just
man" (Mt 1:19). (Redemptoris Custos – John Paul II - Apostolic Exhortation
– the complete text on the devotion to St. Joseph can be found at www.vatican.va )
I hadn’t noticed before how close the feast of St. Joseph falls to the feast of the Annunciation. Celebrating the relationship of motherhood and fatherhood of Mary and Joseph we see a stark contrast to what often happens in our world today. I saw in the news the other day a man was the father of his girlfriend’s unborn baby and was suing for his right to not support a child he did not want. The wonder and beauty of motherhood and fatherhood has been reduced to a fight over choices. Mary and Joseph give us an example to follow. Every life from conception is a beautiful work of art being crafted by God together with mothers and fathers. – By Mike Blankman
…This is my body… Of
course, if any man had said these same words before a piece of bread, that
bread would have continued being so; but it was not any man who said these
words. It was God who uttered these words and explicitly commanded the apostles
to repeat the action for ever. …at Galilee a woman with a chronic hemorrhage
came from behind Him stealthily and timidly, but with a great faith, to touch
his cloak and be healed. (
Understanding the Mass by Charles Belmonte)
Before leaving for Mass, I made use of a few minutes to pick up a nearby book and read a few pages including the lines above. I went to Mass while still reflecting on the woman hoping to at least touch the hem of our Lord’s garment so she could be healed. I try to spend some time before going to Mass reading or doing things to put me in the right attitude to participate in the Mass. During Mass I felt particularly tuned in to what was taking place and during the words of consecration I again thought about what I had read, the meaning of the words and how our whole community can do more than just touch Christ’s garment. We have His body. When I make an effort before Mass to put myself in the right attitude, it makes a difference in how I participate in the Mass. – by Mike Blankman
Christian Penitence
Christian penitence is not simply temperance, not just abstinence, and not merely a kind of reparation for one’s own misdeeds; it is an attempt to join with Christ in the suffering of his redemptive actions. It is neither morbid nor a sullen denial of things that are good and pleasant; it is an attempt to affirm goodness, in union with Christ… (excerpt from The God of Faith and Reason by Msgr. Robert Sokolowski in the March issue of Magnificat)
A friend of mine always tells me he looks forward to Lent so he can lose a few pounds. That goal would be to shed some weight and perhaps be able to identify with someone on the cover of a fitness magazine. We like to imagine ourselves being the poster boy/girl for something. Christian penitence should enable us to see ourselves as the poster boy/girl for the Gospels. When we look at the crucifix, is there something within us that enables us to identify with that much sacrifice, with that much love! (by Mike Blankman)
“The Eucharist, Source
and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church”
During the past Eucharistic Year we became familiar with this phrase. If the Eucharist is so important to the Church then how does that affect members who do not have access to the Eucharist? There is the prayer for a spiritual Communion but that is a private prayer. We hear sometimes about people with various handicaps being helped by teams of mountain climbers to scale some of the highest mountain peaks. Often only a few members of a team will actually reach the summit but all of them achieve a portion of the success. When we attend Mass praying together and processing toward the Eucharist at communion, we are all part of a team (community) and we all support one another to achieve the summit as best as we are able.
Knowing what God wants of us can be challenging if you don’t know where to go for answers. Bishop Fulton Sheen made a pledge before he was ordained to spend one hour in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament each day. It was a practice he continued each day for over 60 years until the day he died in 1979. Pope John Paul II called him a loyal son of the Church. His famous TV series, “Life is Worth Living” won him an Emmy in 1952 as “Most Outstanding TV Personality.” It was his devotion to the Eucharist that made him what he was. For us, devotion to the Eucharist may not make us like Bishop Sheen but it would help make us what it is that God desires us to become. More information about Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, can be found on the internet at http://sheen.catholicexchange.com/foundation.html . – by Mike Blankman.
Nativity
When the Virgin
perceived that she had been delivered, she immediately bowed her head, and
joining her hands, adored her Son with great respect and reverence, saying:
“Welcome, my God, and my Lord, and my Son.” Then the Child crying, and as it
were, shivering with cold and the hard floor where He lay, turned a little, and
stretched out His limbs, seeking to find a mother’s favor and caress. Then his
mother took Him in her hands and clasped Him to her heart, and with her cheek
and breast warmed Him with great joy, and a mother’s tender compassion.
(Revelations of St. Bridget, Tan Books)
It was with great joy the Virgin Mary greeted her redeemer son. That lifelong closeness between Mary and her son is the same closeness our Lord desires with us. That is why God made us, that is why He became man and that is why He instituted the Eucharist. By giving himself to us in the Eucharist we too can clasp Him to our heart with great joy and compassion. by Mike Blankman
We have in the first place these two immeasurably profound sayings, which stand for all time at the heart of the Church, at the heart of the Eucharistic celebration …“This is my body, this is my blood”, these are expressions taken from the Israelite language of sacrifice, which designated the gifts offered in sacrifice to God in the Temple. If Jesus makes use of these words, then he is designating himself as the true and ultimate sacrifice, in whom all these unsuccessful strivings of the Old Testament are fulfilled. God does not desire the sacrifice of animals; everything belongs to him. And he does not desire human sacrifice, for he has created man for living. God desires something more: he desires love, which transforms man and through which he becomes capable of relating to God, giving himself up to God. (from God Is Near Us by Pope Benedict XVI, Ignatius Press)
All the wondrous things God has done to show his love for humanity has come at a great cost, even to the point of sending his son and the gift of the Eucharist. At times I wonder if he knew what it would cost to be in union with his creatures, to love so much and receive so little in return. Lord, through your Holy Eucharist, teach me how to love without considering the cost even when there is little hope of anything in return. – by Mike Blankman
I desired this Year to be dedicated especially to the Eucharist. In fact, every day, particularly Sunday, the day of Christ's Resurrection, the Church lives this mystery. But, in this Year of the Eucharist, the Christian community is invited to become more aware of it through a more deeply felt celebration, prolonged and fervent adoration and a greater commitment to brotherhood and the service of the least. The Eucharist is the source and manifestation of communion. It is the principle and plan of mission. (From John Paul II homily, October 17, 2004, to the Eucharistic Congress in Guadalajara opening the Year of the Eucharist.)
John Paul II dedicated a Year of the Eucharist from October 2004 to October 2005 (in our diocese it has been extended to the Feast of Corpus Christi, 2006.) He believed this was so important we had to devote a special year for us to learn to appreciate this extraordinary gift. Recently I attended a Eucharistic Congress; it was a 2 day event. After the first day I overheard someone say that they were not going to stay for the second day because all the speakers say the same thing and they have heard it all before. That made me think about all the times we watch a show or a game on TV and a lot of it too all looks the same. How we spend our time reflects what is important to us. – By Mike Blankman
Hidden in the Eucharist
In the Eucharist God is both truly present and
hidden. Not only in the Eucharist, but in all of life, God both reveals himself
and at the same time conceals himself. Why? To elicit our free response of
faith and trust. Even human lovers do not prove themselves to each
other, or demand guarantees. He gives just enough light for lovers, who can
find him when they seek him, but not so much as to compel non-lovers and
non-seekers to find him against their will. (From Catholic Worship: The
Eucharist by Peter Kreeft. The author has written over 40 Catholic books. This
booklet and others can be read online at the following web address: www.kofc.org/un/publications/cis/publications/index.cfm
)
At the Last Supper when our Lord instituted the Eucharist he used these words: "This is my body, which will be given for you,” and "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.” The Eucharist and the sacrifice of the Cross are linked as one event. If we believe Christ died for our sins we must believe in his presence in the Eucharist. We believe not because of what we see or don’t see hidden in the Eucharist; we believe because of what we do see on the Cross. – By Mike Blankman
Eucharistic Community
The Eucharist not only sets a value on man by making it possible for him to commune with God, but it also makes it possible for man to commune with his fellow man. The first effect of the Eucharist is personal; the second effect is communal and social, inasmuch as the soul is introduced not only to its Maker, but to his brother, in that fellowship of the saints… ( From Bishop Fulton Sheen, Praying In The Presence Of The Lord, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing)
On a personal level we truly meet Christ on a one on one basis in the Eucharist. He also has this same relationship with others in the Eucharist. In this way each of us are united as a community in the Eucharist. Each of us young or old, large or small are all united in the Body of Christ. Just as the Real Presence of our Lord is hidden in the Eucharist, when others receive him there is within them the hidden presence of our Lord. There could be other virtues hidden in them too that we are unable to see. – by Mike Blankman
In this apostolic letter Pope John Paul II wanted to emphasize the importance to the Mass. The disciples were “duly prepared by our Lord’s words” before the “breaking of the bread”. We at the Mass hear the Lord’s words proclaimed from the ambo then we receive his Body and Blood in the Eucharist. The ambo is considered the table of the Word of the Lord and the altar is the table of the Eucharist. At each Mass we are duly prepared by our Lord’s words before we receive him in the Eucharist. – by Mike Blankman
On the Eucharist and the Cross: What He asked His apostles to do was to set forth in the future this Memorial of His Passion, death and Resurrection. What He did looked forward to the Cross; what they did, and which has continued ever since in the Mass, was to look back to His redemptive death. (The Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen)
As the Mystical Body of Christ, The Church, we are nourished by the Eucharist and make Christ present in the world today. If we do not see Christ present in the world today it cannot be because something was lacking in what He did. What more could He do for us that He has not already done. As we meditate on the Jubilee Pilgrim Cross let us ask ourselves, what more could we do that we have not already done for Christ. – Mike Blankman
Advent
Advent is the vigil of the Nativity. And as the feast is so great, it is fitting that there should be a vigil. And it is the beginning of the benefits that man has received from God by means of Jesus Christ. (St. Juan de Ribera from Magnificat, December 2005)
The month of December for me always seem so busy and hectic I lose my focus on what the season is about. It is about the vigil, the preparation to celebrate the birth of Christ. My solution is to try to serve the needs of others first (then my own jobs seem to go easier) and to pray, especially in adoration of the Eucharist. Praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament is the best way to remember what Christmas is all about. by Mike Blankman
Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, "The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.' For behold, the kingdom of God is among you." (John 17:20-21)
“Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long Live Christ the King!”) were the last words of many Cristeros martyrs killed in Mexico in the 1920s and 1930s. During that era there were severe restrictions on the actions of priest and nuns, church desecrations, and the outlawing of public religious events such as the popular Christ the King processions. These outlawed activities including the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Mass and processions were so precious to the Catholics of Mexico that many gave their lives for the practice of the faith. In the Eucharist Christ was united with his people in Mexico, his kingdom was among them and they proudly proclaimed him their King. by Mike Blankman
Rosary Chain of
Hope
By including the establishment of the Holy Eucharist as a mystery that can be used in the Rosary, the Holy Father calls us to pray for a renewed faith in the Eucharist and renewed zeal and reverence for the meaning of this mystery. How important it is for each of us to bend in silent adoration before the hidden Godhead in the Eucharist. On the night of the Last Supper, so weighted with meaning and sorrow, the apostles were filled with awe and did not know what was happening. To this very day and to the end of the world, believing Christians will be filled with awe and will not be able to understand completely what is happening, because the Eucharist is the mystery of faith. To the struggling soul, to the converting sinner, to the penitent person, even to the spiritually advanced person the Holy Eucharist is the bread of hope and the promise of eternal life. (from The Rosary: Chain of Hope by Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, Ignatius Press)
The fifth luminous mystery of the rosary, the establishment of the Holy Eucharist, and many other mysteries can be a stumbling block for many. In our skepticism we often demand hard evidence. Science provides us with so many answers but not this time. We rely on truth and faith, the Word of God handed down by his Church. During October, the month of the Rosary, we can use this contemplative prayer to learn more about Christ from Mary. – Mike Blankman
Gallup Poll
1992 Gallup Poll on Catholic attitudes toward Holy Communion:
I don’t have a lot of faith in polls but the Gallup poll above and several others, some conducted by various dioceses, shows serious confusion among Catholics about one of the most basic beliefs of the Church.
From my perspective the earth appears flat, but I am told by reliable sources that the earth is round; it is made of a variety of materials, possesses enormous power and has a molten core. It still looks like dirt.
The Eucharist appears to be bread, but the testimony of the apostles, saints, Church Fathers and our Lord himself say that it is truly the Body and Blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said: he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:54). From my perspective I cannot fully comprehend how this can be but if I believe it then the Eucharist is more essential to me than the ground I am standing on. – Mike Blankman