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Darlene
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 868 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
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Posted: Fri Mar 30th, 2007 06:39 pm |
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
While my title is that of a popular Protestant hymn, for the first time in my life this happened to me with regard to the Holy Eucharist. I have been reading quite a bit about the Catholic Church's teaching on the Holy Eucharist. As convinced as I have become that the Real Presence of Jesus Christ is in the Holy Eucharist, that truth has only been an intellectual one for me. That is, until today. Today, that truth penetrated my heart to the very depths of my soul, while reading "The Lamb's Supper" by Scott Hahn.
I felt as though I had a conversion experience, not unlike the time I received the Holy Spirit and accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. But this conversion experience was more revealing and with a greater depth than ever before. Truths flashed before me like fireworks exploding. I began weeping as the Holy Spirit filled me with His presence. So many questions that have been floating around in my mind were answered. What a glorious occasion it is when truth makes its way from the intellect to the heart and very soul of your being. Such joy filled me, that I could not keep from weeping.
When I read Scott's words, I knew the answer had come, not merely from Scott, but from the Lord God Himself. The words leaped out from the page into my heart. "In the sacrifice of the Mass, history achieves its goal, because there Christ and the Church celebrate their wedding feast and consummate their marriage. How, then, should we understand our ongoing combat? If history has, in a sense, already reached its goal, why should we continue to fight? Because not all the world has come to the feast, even if you and I have. So we must continue to ransom the time, to restore all things in Christ." (Under Resisting A Rest, pp 138, 139) Like a lightbulb being turned on in a dark room, so was my mind AND heart illuminated. So this is how Catholics are supposed to evangelize! Matthew 22:8-10 now has new meaning to me. (Scott did not have this reference in his book, but the connection to the Holy Eucharist is undeniable!)
"Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you can find. And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests."
Later in the same paragraph Scott writes, "God wills that you and I should play an indispensable role in salvation history. "The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' (Rev 22:17) Note that it's not just the Spirit Who issues the call to mankind, but the Spirit and the Bride. The Bride is the Church-it's you and me." (pg 138, 1st para) How can we not but compel others to partake in such a joyous feast? And this is just a foretaste of what is to come at the marriage supper of the Lamb in Heaven. Glory to God!
As I was rejoicing, I penned (in my case penciled) these words down. "John 6 cannot just mean that the bread our Lord is speaking of is the Bible, like I have been taught in Protestant theology. The Jews already had God's Word, sacred scripture, in the Ten Commandment when they received the "manna from Heaven." This manna that Christ speaks of is more than memorization of scripture (which is necessary to grow in understanding of Christ). However, this true manna is the fulfillment (Jesus came to fulfill the law) of something more than sacred scripture. It is the "breaking of the bread" in the Eucharist, which is both physical and spiritual."
If scripture alone is enough for our spiritual nourishment, then why didn't the Israelites, who had God's Word come down from heaven in the form of the Ten Commandments, have life through this means? And these were people who saw God do miraculous things for them! Now this physical manna, which was God's beautiful way of sustaining them, was not enough to satisfy them, and they complained against the Lord. They were bored and tired of this manna. Yet, this manna was pointing to the deeper truth of the life giving power in the manna of the Holy Eucharist. Manna that would satisfy our spiritual needs. And just as the Israelites complained about the manna, do not many Catholics today complain against God that they "have to go to Mass?" How often do those who partake of the Holy Eucharist, have no appreciation or awe or reverance for what they are doing? But neither did the complaining Israelites in the wilderness have an awe or reverance or appreciation for God's gift to them. How much more then, should those who are living under the New Covenant, who have Jesus, the fulfillment of the law, stand in utter amazement at the gift He has given His Church on the altar?
Many Protestants criticize the Catholic Church for requiring its members to attend Mass. Why would anyone want to "check out on" or avoid such a beautiful gift of Jesus Christ Himself? How can anyone, who has come to taste the goodness and kindness of the Lord, ever look for excuses to get out of going to Mass? No other pastime on earth can even come close to the glory that is revealed in the Holy Mass.
I now know, for the very first time in the depths of my soul, not just intellectually, that I must become a Catholic. I must partake of this food that never parishes. "Truly truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." John 6:53-59 Jesus wants us to sup with Him and He with us. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and sup with him, and he with me. Rev. 3:20 (Remember, the Israelites already had God's Word at that time, so Jesus has to be speaking about more than sacred scripture when talking about His flesh and blood.)
This marriage feast is all encompassing. Many guests are there. God's holy angels are there, thousands upon thousands of the heavenly hosts. Michael, the archangel is there, fighting and waging battle on our behalf. The saints who have been slain and are crying out under the altar are there. The new Arc of the Covenant, the Queen of heaven and earth, our mother Mary is there. The blessed triune God, God our Heavenly Father, Jesus the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, the precious Holy Spirit, Counselor and Spirit of Truth, are there. How could anyone not want to participate in such a glorious occasion, such a magnificent feast?!
How could I have been so blind? Why did I never see this all the years of being a Protestant? Even while I was in the Christian sect/cult, we read over and studied John 6 extensively. My husband had all kinds of notes and writing in his old Bible around this passage. Yet spiritual revelation takes both the quickening of the mind, the heart, the spirit and the soul. True conversion includes all of our faculties with the Holy Spirit being the required "mover," the One who engages the mind, heart, spirit and soul to enlighten the complete person.
I realized today that God is calling me to His Church, to partake of this holy food at the marriage feast. I realized that I cannot turn back from this journey. I realized the seriousness of this journey and the sacrifices that I may have to make. I realized that God gave me the faith to accept this truth of the Holy Eucharist. What a new and precious discovery! I know now that I must not turn back, trying to find nourishment within a part of the vine, that is disconnected from the spiritual nourishment of Christ's holy, apostolic, catholic Church. For from this vine comes wine, wine which is changed into spiritual nourishment in the Holy Eucharist, Christ's blood, under the species of physical wine.
I must be as the hymn says, "I have decided to follow Jesus (in His Church, that He founded on St. Peter), no turning back, no turning back. The cross before me (celebrating His death and resurrection in the Mass), the world behind me, no turning back, no turning back. If none go with me (which may be the case), still I will follow. No turning back, no turning back."
I will see all of you on the other side of the Tiber very soon. God Bless each and everyone of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Love in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior,
Darlene
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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susiedear
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| Joined: | Thu Oct 12th, 2006 |
| Location: | Twin Cities, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 186 |
| First Name: | Elizabeth | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Pentecostal / Evangelical / Catholic! |
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Posted: Fri Mar 30th, 2007 07:37 pm |
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Dear Darlene, as one who is about to reach the shores on the other side, I bid you a hearty welcome. Welcome Home!
Elizabeth
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But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. St. Augustine
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CajunRick
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Posted: Fri Mar 30th, 2007 09:24 pm |
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That is a beautiful testimony, Darlene. You are beginning to understand the beauty of the Eucharist, which so many Catholics sadly take for granted.
I read something disturbing in the Catechism when it first came out:
460 The Word became flesh to make us "partakers of the divine nature": "For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God." "For the Son of God became man so that we might become God." "The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods."
Accepting the first quote, from 1 Peter, and the second, from St. Iraneus, was no problem. I know that I am a "partaker of the divine nature" and a "son of God".
When I first read the third quote highlighted in blue, from St. Athanasius, I really struggled with it. The last (in red), from St. Thomas Aquinas, was only slightly less disturbing. But after much thought and prayer, I think I understand.
I believe that when we receive the Eucharist, we are momentarily glorified as Jesus was glorified at the Transfiguration. I visualize the saints looking down on us from heaven and seeing us burst into heavenly light the moment we take the Eucharist. Our Divine Glory lasts only a moment, but for that instant, we become God! It truly adds new meaning to the phrase "you are what you eat". The awesomeness cannot be experienced with human senses; it can only be experienced through faith. (This "glorification" as I present it in this paragraph is not Church teaching; it is my own poor attempt to understand how I can become God. Paragraph 460 of the Catechism is definitely Church teaching, as quoted from scripture and the Fathers and Doctors of the Church.)
I don't take the Eucharist for granted any more. Every single time I approach the Eucharist, it is with the absolute certainty that God will fill me and for just a fleeting moment, I will become God!
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2427 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Mar 31st, 2007 12:03 am |
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The grace you have been given today in prayer — and it was in prayer, not just in the reading of a book — has removed the scales from your eyes, Darlene.
You can see in this revelation the heights of holiness awaiting the soul who partakes of the body and blood of our Lord. As Rick says, it is nothing less than a stripping away of the vestiges of sin and a profound union with God in such a way that we ourselves are divinized. I was introduced to this by reading St. John of the Cross and St. Peter Julian Eymard, you by reading Scott Hahn. Both routes are legitimate, both powerful ties to heaven, because the Holy Spirit can use whatever secondary cause he chooses.
From what you have discovered today, you will now be able to appreciate another well-known biblical passage that refers directly to the Mass as heaven on earth: Hebrews 12:18–24. The remainder of the chapter tells us what our response must be.
David
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maryjean
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| Joined: | Sat Feb 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | York County, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 45 |
| First Name: | Jean | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Presbyterian to non-practicing to Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Mar 31st, 2007 06:53 pm |
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Isn't it grand!
My own moment came while watching Father Benedict Groschel on EWTN a few years ago. I wasn't even really paying attention, working on the computer, when he said in answer to a question about why Catholics liked the crucifix instead of the plain cross "Look what GOD did for me!" It was like a hypodermic needle of joy injected into my heart and I walked around the rest of the day exclaiming "For me! HE did that for me!"
And even if I had questioned (with the remnants of Presbyterianism in my being) that the Eucharist is the True Presence, any doubt was erased the moment of my first Communion. I know a bit about bread baking, and I know that there is nothing except wheat and water in the host...and that was the most delicious morsel I had ever put in my mouth! Still is!
jean
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Psalm 4
jean
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