Stay with us, Lord!
The Gospel from the Third Sunday of Easter presents us with a clear relationship between the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Worship of the Eucharist outside of Mass (Eucharistic Adoration). Jesus walks with them, teaching them and interpreting Scripture. At each celebration of the Holy Mass, we hear the proclamation of Sacred Scripture in the Liturgy of the Word. In the Gospel, we hear the words of Jesus. When we open our hearts to the grace of the Holy Spirit, we say with the disciples, “Stay with us Lord.” With “burning hearts,” we deepen our participation in the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass so that we can recognize Jesus in the breaking of the Bread.
Eucharistic Adoration flows from the graces we receive when we participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion. During these days of Easter, many have the joy of receiving Holy Communion for the first time. May they grow to recognize Jesus at each Holy Mass and say “stay with us” as they encounter Jesus during Eucharistic Adoration.
As missionary disciples, we are strengthened to defend our faith that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist and He is always with us. Recognizing this gives us the grace to “help every parishioner become a witness to God’s everlasting mercy and thereby unleash the Gospel to everyone we meet” (UTG Marker 9.3).
We know that the National Eucharistic Revival is not a program but a fire. We pray that this opportunity may ignite countless flames of love to unite us in communion as we participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. As Bishop Battersby shared last week, in the next months, we will be sending small group opportunities to study and discuss the mystery of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Worship of the Eucharist outside of Mass.
One important step you can take now is to plan for your parish to have a Eucharistic Procession on June 11, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, to launch the Parish Year of the National Eucharistic Revival. The Church in southeast Michigan includes metro Detroit, our suburbs, and also our farming communities, so I share this Prayer for the Wheat and invite you to pray together.