Click on Tau for Home Page
bro Fred's Reflections - June 2024
The Sacred Heart of Jesus
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
I have written a number of reflections on the Love of God for us, and the need for all of us to reflect this love back to Our Lord through our sisters and brothers. Our Lord, Jesus, does this wonderfully. He places Himself in our lives. It doesn't matter how. It is mysterious. But He is there. And He wishes to be our big Brother, and He keeps telling us that he loves us so very much. He told us that through the Cross, because if He had not died for our sins, on the Cross (our sins and the sins of the world), we would not be able to be with Him in Heaven for all time.
Early in all our lives, that is Catholic Christians, we were introduced to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus ( Feast: June 7th). It was hammered into us in Catholic schooling, in CCD, and in various books. The term "Sacred Heart" or "Heart of Jesus" does not occur in Holy Scripture, and this is not surprising, because the devotion for the Sacred Heart of Jesus did not come into practice until the year, 1690 (St. Margaret Mary Alacoque) - and really did not become popular until the year 1899, when on June 11th, Pope Leo XIII, consecrated the whole world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. That is when this Pope wrote an encyclical "Annum Sacrum" (on Vatican Website: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_25051899_annum-sacrum.html).
Here’s a beautiful prayer: Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, truly present in the Holy Eucharist, I consecrate my body and soul to be entirely one with Your Heart, being sacrificed at every instant, on the altars of the world, giving praise to the Father and pleading for the coming of His Kingdom. Please receive this humble offering of myself. Use me as You will for the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls. Most Holy Mother of God, never let me be separated from your Divine Son. Please defend and protect me as Your special child. Amen.
If we place ourselves daily in the Heart of Jesus, and try to love each other with the love Jesus has for us, we will go to Heaven. Jesus made twelve promises to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, as follows:
1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I will establish peace in their families.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of their death.
5. I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source of an infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
9. I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
10. I will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced.
12. The all-powerful love of my Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive
Months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under my displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; my Heart
shall be their assured refuge at that last hour.
Promises like that, from Jesus, given to the Saint in a vision on December 27, 1673, are very special, and we should study these and make them a part of our prayer lives. There are several ways to be assured of a life in Heaven. Jesus told us of these Himself, and our Mother Mary also made some of these ways known in apparitions and revelations. These great spiritual events are Gifts of God and we should treasure those, because it is clear from them that Jesus desires us to be with Him for all time. But we need to get ready for this transition into Heaven, by making an honest effort to sin no more. Yes, it can be done. First you whittle away at the big sins, day by day, and when you've got those conquered, you start working on the little sins. And then the imperfections, and so on. It is never too late to say to Jesus and His Mother, "I'm sorry for I have sinned," and, "Please help me repent and sin no more." And do seek out a priest to lighten the load, to come clean with Jesus, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation - Holy Confession.
May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord show his face to you and have compassion on you! May he turn his face to you and give you peace! (St. Francis of Assisi)
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
October 24, 2007(bc273)
rev. June 4, 2024
You are in my heart
A reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Recently, I saw a movie about the Carpathian mountain region of Romania. It is a region of great beauty, inhabited by simple people who are very religious in their church, Romanian Orthodox. In this movie, there was a man who often sang as he walked the fields in the town area. He explained (in Romanian with English subtitles) that he sang what was in his heart, joy and also suffering. Suffering brings one close to God, he said. People of his village listened and praised him for singing out what was in his heart. The people he sang about, he said, were in his heart.
A couple of years ago (4-5, I forget), the Regional Minister of the Five Franciscan Martyrs’ Region of the Secular Franciscan Order, asked me to serve as Contact Person, and Prayer Minister. I would like to talk about this Prayer Ministry. You see, the people I’ve been asked to pray for, are in my heart and soul. Without going into boring detail, I can tell you there are about 280 people on my lists and I pray for each one, daily. Some people on the list are personal intentions, the rest are Secular Franciscans and their families. The majority are suffering, a great many have cancer. Cancer is a pernicious disease that needs lots of prayer. It is a priviledge to be allowed to pray for others and it is very franciscan. The intentions that come from the Region, are further distributed to all the Fraternity Ministers (about 30 Fraternities), and they will pass them on to their members. Many prayers are answered. I’ll pray for anyone who asks, not just Franciscans. Need prayer? Go here: https://www.ffmr-ofs.org/prayer-requests/
Most of you know I am a bachelor, I used to be in Religious life, and I have no problem living by myself because I am not really alone: God is with me in prayer, meditation, etc. The many people I know through praying for them help keep me centered on the Lord. I no longer have a car because I cannot afford one anymore. Friends help get me to Sunday Mass and to doctor’s appointments. EWTN offers a “live” daily Mass (8:00 AM ET), with beautiful singing and great homilies.
I pray the Liturgy of the Hours daily with rare exception (many Secular Franciscans do), Morning and Evening Prayer, and usually Night Prayer, and a Rosary, of course. I’ve been doing that since 1985; I’ve been a Franciscan 31 years. Please keep praying for me, for health and financial problems. I live in a manufactured home where I have to pay a “lot rent.” Over the past four years this rent was raised about 36%, and after paying rent and obligations, there really isn’t enough left for much else. If it wasn’t for “Meals on Wheels” (a great program for the retired poor), I’d be in bad shape. If the lot rent goes up again, I may have to move.
Thanks for reading my Reflections!
Peace and Good,
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
June 6, 2024
Jesus won't let us down!
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
We can always count on Jesus Christ. I make this statement without reservations, because I know it to be true. People tell me, they pray and pray ... and nothing happens. Jesus does not heal on our command, but He does heal. He often uses other people to heal us. He uses doctors, spouses, priests (the confessional is a big place of healing), deacons, even strangers, but He will do something. He won't let us down!
"In his teaching, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray with a purified heart, with lively and persevering faith, with filial boldness. He calls them to vigilance and invites them to present their petitions to God in his name. Jesus Christ himself answers prayers addressed to him." (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC] 2621)
"Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort *. The great figures of prayer of the Old Covenant before Christ, as well as the Mother of God, the saints, and he Himself, all teach us this: prayer is a battle. Against whom? Against ourselves and against the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer, away from union with God. We pray as we live, because we live as we pray. If we do not want to act habitually according to the Spirit of Christ, neither can we pray habitually in His name. The "spiritual battle" of the Christian's new life is inseparable from the battle of prayer." (CCC 2725) * Emphasis mine.
God wants to heal us, He won't let us down ... but, unfortunately, we often let Him down. When we let Him down, we are not ready to receive the healing He provides. "The Lord Jesus Christ, physician of our souls and bodies, who forgave the sins of the paralytic and restored him to bodily health, has willed that his Church continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation, even among her own members. This is the purpose of the two sacraments of healing: the sacrament of Penance and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick." (CCC 1421)
The Sacrament of Penance is key to healing. A penitent who seeks to repent and convert to a life of persevering faith, trying very hard to sin less or sin no more, will find that prayers are answered more frequently. Prayer isn't difficult. It is not necessary to recite psalms or other printed prayers, rather prayer is asking God for help just as you would ask your best friend. Just relax, be yourself, acknowledge that you are far from perfect, that you often haven't been the greatest friend of Jesus, and ask to be heard, and describe your needs. Then thank Him... with a lively expectation that He can indeed heal us. Tell Him that you love Him - but be honest. If you sin then you do not love Him. If you try to overcome habitual sin, then there is hope for you but if you still sin, you do not love Him enough. Don't give up. Keep trying to do better. He will help all those who ask for help in spiritual improvement.
We can pray to God in the Name of Jesus. We can ask God for help via Mary, the Mother of God, asking her to intercede for us. Likewise, we can ask our favorite Saint for intercession, and what most people forget, we can ask our deceased loved one or family member in heaven to intercede for us. We can even ask the souls who are in Purgatory to intercede for us, because they will see the promised land.
On June 13th, we celebrate the feast of Saint Anthony of Padua, a wonderful Franciscan priest and a great preacher. He lived from 1195 to 1231. “Consider how highly St. Anthony is honored by Holy Church. His feast is celebrated by the whole Catholic Church, and the priests celebrate holy Mass in his honor. In Franciscan churches, not only is his feast observed with great solemnity, but every Tuesday devotions in his honor are conducted before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, at which devotion all the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence.”
“The Franciscan Book of Saints”, ed. by Marion Habig, ofm. Franciscan Herald Press
There is hope for everyone who repents. Everyone can get to Heaven but it depends how we live, what we do, and how we treat other people.
May God give you Peace!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
September 11, 2009, Revised June 10, 2024
Salvation: a Gift of God
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
In Ephesians 2:1-8a (RSV) "And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. Among these we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of body and mind, and so we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God..."
Everyone succumbs to temptation and falls into sin at one time or another during a lifetime. Those who are strong in their Faith, will be able to minimize the sin, but probably most of us have given in to temptation. I know I have. I was away from the Sacraments for about 20 years, returning to full participation in the Sacraments in 1985. Lost interest. This happens to so many good Catholics, especially when they go from their schooling years to the work years. We are out in the "real" world, the apron strings have long been cut, we have forged our own way, and now we're alone, or seeking a companion for life. Very often, this transition leads to confusion in our lives. Mature people will cope with the problems, others are less able to make commitments. Regardless, we grow, we even grow old and then comes a time when our 70th year passes us from middle-age to our senior years and we wonder what it has all meant. What have we accomplished?
Seniors, if they think of God at all, they will begin to reckon with their salvation. Am I going to make it to Heaven? Or, do I need to do yet a lot of work? Those are questions I cannot answer for you, but you need to look into that, yourselves. And I did too. Did I live my life as God wishes me to do, or was it a less than stellar performance? If this type of examination gives one reason for fear, or trepidation, you are probably not alone. But the Scripture, above, tells us that God has had a hand in your life, my life, throughout my time here. The trespasses we once walked through, made us dead to life, spiritually speaking. That "life" this sentense refers to is a life with Jesus forever in Paradise. "But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. It isn't our doing at all, but the Lord gives us the Gift of Salvation, the Gift of Eternal Life.
That Scripture gives me hope, hope that fewer people will end up condemned in the final judgement, unless they completely reject the Lord out of hand. Now is the time to rectify the sickly trends in our lives that led us into trespassing against the Love of Our Lord. There is still time, there is still hope. He won't give us up, so let us not give up hope either. Ask our Lord to forgive you for your sins (for a Roman Catholic that means asking for His absolution through a priest) today. Every day, as I read the paper, there are people complaining that the Catholic Church is trying to set morality on behalf of her members. I sense from these editorials, that the writers often are former or so-called "lapsed" Catholics who are venting their anger against God in this manner. The Catholic Church as any membership organization sets certain rules. We believe in the Ten Commandments, and from of old, our Church forbids abortion, same-sex marriage and many other things which it deems of grave offense against Catholic morality. It is totally irrelevant that priests also have sinned (we all do and did), the Church isn't setting new standards, just re-iterating what it has always believed. People are referring to a bunch of old men in the Vatican, setting the Rules - men not up to date with modern medicines and human desire. The teaching authority of the Catholic Church, the Magisterium, know very well what they are asking us to do, these teachings haven't changed one iota in 2000 years! I think, rather, it is the lack of humility on our part that we refuse to obey these Rules, and as a Catholic we took on the obligation to live by these Rules through Baptism. I try to live by these Rules because for me, this is a matter of life or death. If I should fail to obey the teachings of the Magisterium, will God forgive me? I would not want to wager my Salvation on this question.
God does love us, but not our sin. Let us repent, praise Him in His Glory and sin no more.
Peace and Good!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Refl. 605/June 7, 2012 republished 2024
Time and God
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
In a time of meditation I was thinking about God in Heaven. The thought hit me that in Heaven God looks upon the concept of Time in a different way than we do. God's time is the past, the present and the future wrapped into one instance. He simply IS! I do not imply that He does not know how we think about time. God knows everything!
I do not recall how I got to meditate on the subject of "time", perhaps because my health wasn't so great and I felt that my time is not indefinite. Then came the Election (doesn’t matter which one), which left me quite unhappy, and also the after-effects of the Superstorm Sandy, which put a lot of people out of home and work, in an area I used to live and work at one time. I don't know if these happenings brought my mood down into the basement, perhaps it was the reason. I was really unhappy last week and this week, but I am slowly healing (2012). I realized a few days ago, that God hasn't taken away my usual cheerfulness, but I allowed that to happen. We all have happy and unhappy times. I do not have such unhappy times often, but the combination of events led me to cry and moan for a while. Friends tried to cheer me up, and I am grateful for that. But ultimately, I have to accept that God continues to spiritually carry me and support me and without His attention to my mood swings, I just would not be able to carry on. The Holy Spirit is a powerful influence for all of us.
As I said above, God's time is past, present, and future rolled into one instance - meaning that He simply IS. There is no WAS, HAS BEEN, or WILL BE in Heaven. I must have read this someplace, but for the life of me, I cannot recall where.
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is found (actually on the subject of praise):"2639 Praise is the form of prayer which recognizes most immediately that God is God. It lauds God for his own sake and gives him glory, quite beyond what he does, but simply because HE IS. It shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart who love God in faith before seeing him in glory. By praise, the Spirit is joined to our spirits to bear witness that we are children of God, testifying to the only Son in whom we are adopted and by whom we glorify the Father. Praise embraces the other forms of prayer and carries them toward him who is its source and goal: the “one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist.”122 (213)"
The footnote refers to Article 213: "213. The revelation of the ineffable name “I Am who Am” contains then the truth that God alone IS. The Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and following it, the Church’s Tradition, understood the divine name in this sense: God is the fullness of Being and of every perfection, without origin and without end. All creatures receive all that they are and have from him; but he alone is his very being, and he is of himself everything that he is. (41)"
God is the fullness of Being and of every perfection, without origin and without end. (See Art. 213, above)—hence the thought "God's time is past, present, and future rolled into one instance (instant)." And one can meditate about this concept for a long time really, because God IS perfection - He misses nothing, He does not need anything, and He doesn't even need us. But He loves us deeply and intimately. No wonder we praise Him, and we should do this continually by shunning every idea that opposes His goodness and love. Then why do we suffer so? That is the age old question that just doesn't want to go away—it almost seems as if we love to suffer because we are somehow attracted to suffering. Why is it that when we have experienced something negative we always seem to be drawn back to it. Remember, Satan is also active and now more so than ever - he does not love God. Do not listen to his evil advice!
We can argue "ad infinitum" why Our Lord allowed this big superstorm to hit the Northeast (I believe this was Hurricane Sandy in 2012), as some people opine. But when you think it through, this is part of an ongoing climate change which is caused by man's misuse of the environment (remember all these big smokestacks of yesteryear blasting carcinogens and other bad substances into the atmosphere?), and there are other reasons. I leave it to the scientists to explain it to us, except that usually scientists make it so complicated that we need additional help to understand what they are talking about!
God loves us deeply and intimately. The type of relationship as between a parent and child. You can talk to God in the same way. It brings us closer to Him. Talk to Him softly, and with determination, expressing thoughts of admiration, not in an emotional way, but with meaning nonetheless. Never tell God anything that you do not mean. When we love God enough, we will pay more attention to pleasing Him more and more often, by curtailing sin. Sin is something we (humans) do purposely (if it is not done with full knowledge and will, than it isn't sin). I know that it is sinful to purposely overeat (because it tastes so good) - that's a weakness that must be remedied. Would St. Francis stuff himself with food, even if he had plenty. No, because St. Francis was known for his fasting all the time. So next time we feel compelled to bite into that big creamy piece of chocolate cake to excess, maybe the thought would arise that we are not pleasing God. Big sins are bad, of course, but little sins can lead to big sins, so let's not make a habit of it! Please God in all things, all the time!
My mood feels a lot cheerier already! Praise God!
God bless you!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
November 12, 2012, rev., republished #617
The Eucharist: source and summit of the Christian life
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
With so many people not believing in the “Real Presence”, it is appropriate to talk about the Eucharist, which is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ: The Real Presence. He is present during Holy Mass, in the Tabernacle and in the Monstrance set out for Eucharistic Adoration, and also in the Holy Communion we receive. Please refer to following paragraph in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition.
CCC* Para. 1374 “The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend." In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained." "This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present."
I cannot imagine a Holy Mass without receiving Him in the Eucharist. Lack of an automobile notwithstanding, friends usually assist getting me to Church on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. When I miss an occasional Sunday Mass, when friends are out of town, I always ask myself, did I try hard enough getting a ride? Fortunately the Church cooperates by sending someone to the house, once a week, with Holy Communion. Receiving Him is very important to me. I hope you will also make every effort to go to Holy Mass.
I’ve been a Secular Franciscan for the past 31 years; I’ve also had experience as a monk in an Order that did not last, but the memory of that beautiful time is with me almost daily. The reason is that I live alone, and I live very much like in those five monastic years. It was a beautiful time because I felt His Presence daily. I long for His Presence again but it is a greater struggle to maintain this relationship. The key to keep this spiritual relationship active is frequent reception of the Eucharist.
I hope you will desire to receive Him often too, very often. Jesus is like us in all ways except sin#, so we make an effort to eradicate sin in our lives.
Peace and Good!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
* CCC Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition
See: https://scborromeo2.org/catechism-of-the-catholic-church
A very useful website with an excellent search bar.
# Saint John Paul II in a Catechisis on Jesus Christ; General Audience, Wednesday 3 February 1988
- "By his Incarnation the Son of God has united himself in some fashion with every man. He worked with human hands, he thought with a human mind, acted by human choice and loved with a human heart. Born of the Virgin Mary, he has truly been made one of us, like us in all things except sin" (GS 22).
Let us walk in God's Light
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 2466, we read: "In Jesus Christ, the whole of God's truth has been made manifest. "Full of grace and truth," he came as the "light of the world," he is the Truth. "Whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." The disciple of Jesus continues in his word so as to know "the truth [that] will make you free" and that sanctifies. To follow Jesus is to live in "the Spirit of truth," whom the Father sends in his name and who leads "into all the truth." To his disciples Jesus teaches the unconditional love of truth: "Let what you say be simply 'Yes or No.'"
Walking in God's Light is the result of simply saying YES, to Jesus Christ. For some pragmatic questions there is no need for long speeches. Our Lord wishes from us a simple answer. Either you are with me, or you are not... He might state. You are either a Christian or not. Both are OK. But are you at least a person who wants to get along with everyone? We call this, loving our brothers and sisters, based on the example of Jesus Christ.
While Catholics regard their Faith/Belief as the true Faith, other Faith-based groups also regard themselves as true followers of The Lord. If you live a decent life, at least along the general lines of the Ten Commandments which were given to everyone through Moses, then Our Lord will make room for you in Heaven, for you are walking in His Light, by His Teaching. But if you participate in the culture of death, be it by causing an abortion, killing someone outright, or commit a civil crime, then Our Lord's judgment could be very final. Nobody really knows what God's judgment will be when you're on Heaven's doorstep. Many people make last minute gestures of penance e.g. deathbed confessions directly to God, and there is the possibility that they be saved. But not everyone has the presence of mind to make the effort to ask forgiveness of God when they are on Heaven's doorstep, and so it seems practical to do this earlier in life, and then do one's very best to stay with the decision, either a Yes, or No decision to obey the Father in Heaven.
We know that Our Lord has infinite mercy and compassion, but we have only seen examples of that in the lives of Saints, people of indelible character, and the few who have been permitted visions of Heaven and/or Hell. Sometimes I wish God could give a sign, a mini-view into Heaven, that would shake the world up a little, and may lead to many conversions. But it is not that easy. We have to find out the hard way, and then it is often too late.
People ask, why didn't God wipe out Adam and Eve and begin again, rather than saddle us with the burden of original sin and all the pain that it involves. It is a valid question. But I do not have the answer. Maybe some academic theologian with years of study might shed some light on that, but I can't.
Adam and Eve died, that is, they lost it all. They lost the joy of Heaven, the joy of a life lived without sin. They did not stay in the Light of God! They did their own thing, and if we do our own thing, we will get into trouble also. Many people have a colossal ego, and they will never submit to God, even though God loves them as much as he loves others. Living in God's light is a privilege, a Gift of God for those who express the desire (through action, not just words) to live by his Commandments. Someone who loves God won't be apt to sin.
By telling everyone that they just can't "not sin" - they have already lost the chance to find God's light. So, please, do not despair, and try, try again. That's what Catholics go to Confession for - or, the Sacrament of Reconciliation - Jesus Christ gave his disciples, priests, the power to forgive sins, and when our sins are forgiven we have the opportunity to begin again with a fresh slate, so to speak. Of course, depending on the severity of the sin, there may still be punishment, and for that there is Purgatory, a temporary place where people are held on the way to Heaven for purification.
Best advice I can given you, is not to wait until purification, but to begin NOW, today - go visit a priest or clergyman and begin again. This time do it right! And on your way to Heaven, say a prayer for me, too. Thank You.
May Our Lord bless you and grant you His peace! Thank you for reading this reflection.
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
October 6, 2008 republished June 16, 2024 (328)
Bearing your Cross more easily
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
To help us bear our crosses in life, we should pray more often, because prayer is a conversation with God. When we pray we're lifting up our minds and hearts to God. First, we pray to adore God, expressing to Him our love and loyalty for Him. Then we also pray to God to thank Him for the many favors he grants us. Thank him for creating us, for giving us the opportunity to uplift other people and tell them about God. Then, ask Him to pardon us for our sins and the remission of their punishment, and lastly we may ask Him for graces and blessings for ourselves and others.
We should always pray with attention. We've got to have the right attitude to pray, not as a mere afterthought but as a main event in a day. Be convinced of your own helplessness and dependence on God, knowing that without Him we cannot do anything. Tell Him in your own words how much we need His help and thus beg Him for these graces with great desire. Express in your plea your complete trust in God and in His goodness. Persevere in prayer. God, the Father and Jesus, the Son, and the love between them and us, the Holy Spirit, love us dearly, no matter how great a sinner we are. What God doesn't love is our sins, of course. We can always depends on His gracious assistance when we ask for help. When we ask for forgiveness.
The sad thing, when people ask for forgiveness which is immediately granted, is that they fail to grant forgiveness to themselves, so foul and festering wounds may harm us for many years. People hold grudges. You hear it day in, day out..."She said this or that when I was a teenager and I have no use for her." That's putting it mildly much of the time. Most people aren't that polite, but when you hate another human being it comes back to ourselves twofold. We generally suffer much more that the person bearing the brunt of our disgust or anger. So think about it... life is too short to be so miserable. Forgive the other person. The dead cannot be changed anymore, so stop tormenting yourselves!
We should pray for ourselves, for our parents, relatives, friends and enemies, for sinners, for the souls in purgatory, for the Pope, cardinals, bishops and priests of the Church and for the officials of our country. Sometimes forgiveness comes very hard. As we are now, this very week, remembering the events of September 11, 2001, for example, forgiveness for the perpetrators is very difficult. However, it's a sign of Christ to forgive, so please say a prayer for those by whose hands so many were killed and injured. Also pray for the thousands whose lives were changed to one of suffering due to the loss of a loved one in those terrible moments.
Jesus told us: "If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you." We may not always obtain precisely what we ask for, because either we haven't prayed sincerely, or what we prayed for may not be good for us at this present time. We may pray in different ways, orally, mentally, contemplatively, in our own words or in the prayer. the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be. Make a Sign of the Cross when starting and ending all prayer.
May the Lord bless you and keep you! Pray also to Mary, the Mother of God and our mother; pray to her for intercession. She's close to Jesus and her intercession is always effective.
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
2009 rev. 6/21/24
Our love for the Eucharist almost 1900 years old
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Many Catholics no longer believe in the “Real Presence”, that Jesus Christ is present in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist. That’s terrible and we need to reinforce the teaching wherever possible. Let’s look at a rough summary of the teaching to date. This summary is not complete but we can learn from it that many do believe over a long span of time.
St Justin Martyr (100 AD-165 A.D.) is one of the earliest witnesses and defenders of the belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. St. Justin was born roughly 60-70 years after the death and resurrection of Christ, he is one of the closest writers to the apostles that we have, along with people such as Ignatius of Antioch, who was said to have been a disciple of the apostle John. Justin writes: “Not as common bread or common drink do we receive these; but since Jesus Christ our Savior was made incarnate by the word of God and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so too, as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh is nourished… is both the flesh and the blood of that incarnated Jesus” (First Apology 66:1–20).
In the Didache – ca. 60-100 A.D., also known as “The Lord’s Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations,” this Early Christian writing from the first century mentions the importance of confessing one’s sins before receiving communion and talks explicitly about the Eucharist. “But every Lord’s day [Sunday] gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure” (XIV). “Now concerning the Thanksgiving [Eucharist], thus give thanks. First concerning the cup… And concerning the broken bread…” (IX).
St. Ignatius of Antioch – ca. 110 A.D.
Ignatius of Antioch, who had been a disciple of St. John, said regarding those who held “heterodox opinions,” that “they abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in his goodness, raised up again” (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2, 7:1).
Origen – ca. 244 A.D.
“You are accustomed to take part in the divine mysteries, so you know how, when you have received the Body of the Lord, you reverently exercise every care lest a particle of it fall and lest anything of the consecrated gift perish” (Homilies on Exodus 13:3).
St. Cyril of Jerusalem – ca. 350 A.D.
“Do not, therefore, regard the bread and wine as simply that, for they are, according to the Master’s declaration, the body and blood of Christ. Even though the senses suggest to you the other, let faith make you firm” (Catechetical Discourses: Mystagogic 4:22:9).
St. Ambrose of Milan – ca. 387 A.D.
“It is the true Flesh of Christ which was crucified and buried, this is then truly the Sacrament of His Body. The Lord Jesus Himself proclaims: “This Is My Body” (On the Mysteries 9, 53-54).
“Transubstantiation” – 1215
A great debate arose when in the 11th century, Berengar of Tours assured that it was not necessary to talk about material change in the elements when explaining the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Fourth Lateran Council reaffirmed in 1215 what the Church had believed for centuries by using a fairly-new term: “Transubstantiation.” While not attached to a specific metaphysics, this term was used to explain that the essence of bread and wine became the true Body and Blood of Christ, even if the appearances of bread and wine remained intact.
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) gave the greatest theological explanation of the meaning of transubstantiation. In addition, he was commissioned to write the hymns for the Feast of Corpus Christi. He wrote such hymns as Pange Lingua, Tantum Ergo and O Salutaris Hostia.
Feast of Corpus Christi – 1264
In the Early Church, the adoration of the Body and Blood of Christ was restricted to the Eucharistic celebration and communion, and Fathers such as Augustine and Ambrose encouraged an attitude of adoration during Mass. However, in hopes of repairing for the controversies and blasphemies of some against the Eucharist, faithful such as St. Juliana of Liege, requested in the 13th century a greater adoration outside of Mass. This request, coupled with the Eucharistic miracle of Bolsena, Italy, in 1264, led Pope Urban IV to institute the Feast of Corpus Christi (“The Body of Christ”).
The Real Presence Remains – 1551
The Council of Trent reaffirmed that it was not reasonable to say that the Real Presence was limited to the moment of reception, as Martin Luther held, but that it remained afterward. The fact that the Presence did not depend on the act of reception was evident not only in Tradition, but also in the Gospels. Early Christians frequently took the Eucharist to the homebound or on long journeys, or even received the Blessed Sacrament a couple days after its consecration, as is documented in writings of the Church Fathers. Following Jesus’ words in the Gospels, it is evident that the Body and Blood became so before reception and not because of it.
Visits of the Blessed Sacrament – 1745
As a practical consequence of Eucharistic Adoration, the practice of making frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament became more popular. St. Alphonsus of Liguori gave a new impulse to this practice through his popular book Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, published in 1745, which went through 40 editions in his lifetime. Some religious orders also began practicing perpetual adoration around this time.
Pope Pius X – 1903-1914
Pope Pius X would come to be known as the “Pope of the Blessed Sacrament” by many. Other than restoring the practice of Gregorian Chant, he promoted daily communion, assuring that it is the shortest way to Heaven. He also lowered the age of First Communion from 12 to 7 years old, which was considered the “age of discretion.”
Vatican II’s Liturgical Reform – 1962-1965
The Second Vatican Council was held to address the relation between the Church and the modern world. Among the modifications established, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy sought to reform and promote the liturgy. Some of these reforms included a wider use of the vernacular language during the liturgy and a greater participation of the congregation. It’s implementation has been the subject of much discussion, and for many, various changes associated with it were never intended by the Council Fathers.
Summorum Pontificum – 2007
Over 35 years after the Missal was updated in 1970, following the Second Vatican Council, Pope Benedict XVI allowed priests to celebrate the Tridentine Mass – often referred to as the Traditional Latin Mass – using the 1962 Missal, with a group of faithful “who, of their own will, asked to be admitted.” The Pope assured that the “new rite” from 1970 did not null the “old rite,” last published in 1962. Instead, he said they must be seen as a “twofold use” of the same rite.
Much of this is from: “The Eucharist throughout history: A timeline” by Vladimir Mauricio-Perez, 2019. Denver Catholic.
I do not make it a habit to quote copywritten material but if we do not review what has been written over time, many more people will forget the important truths of the Holy Eucharist and what Jesus Christ did for us. Many homilies by dedicated priests tell us about all this at Holy Mass and I pray there will be many more to come. EWTN has several articles. Here’s one:
The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist | EWTN
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
June 24, 2024
Special moments with Jesus
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Dusk settled over the gardens. Birds swarmed toward their nightly roost. I slowly walked along the path in the Monastery garden, oblivious to other people, meditating on the Evening Chant of Vespers. It was quiet and Jesus walked with me. He was in my thoughts. The beauty of the moment touched me, then and now.- On another occasion, I was sitting in a Cathedral. This also was a quiet time. The organist was practicing and the sounds of the great organ slowly accelerated into a mighty crescendo, and as slowly as it had begun, the Fugue came to a soft and mesmerizing end. Quiet regained, I was alone with God.
- One cold January, on retreat at the Trappist’ Gethsemane Monastery in Kentucky, we were encouraged to get some fresh air into our lungs. Packed up in a parka, hat and gloves, I walked outside, toward the nearest farm entrance on the other side. A thermometer attached to a barn read 5 degrees (F.), but that only bothered me for a little while. It had snowed the night before and there was a pristine white layer covering the world around me. Slowly, I prayed the Our Father, with full attention. Jesus was with me, and I felt the cold no more.
- A similar scene also comes to mind. In the Netherlands, when I was about 10 or 11, I took long bicycle rides on days off from school. I remember being somewhere south of town in the fields. It had snowed that morning, and there was a mist over the fields that stretched very far. Then I heard a lonely bell, a tiny sound, and indeed, a small steeple was visible... the bells rang at the Consecration of Holy Mass - a wonderful custom. I knew Jesus was with us, as He was with me in the Spiritual Communion I whispered.
- Experiencing a touch of God is often associated with a moment of beauty. Seeing a very elderly person deep in prayer, kneeling erect, not slouching, that too is a moment of beauty. The beauty was that this soul knew Jesus.
- Then again, children playing in the garden, totally unaware of anything that went on beyond their patch of green. The beauty of true love of God only as a child can love a parent. God is a parent, too.
- The memory of daily Eucharistic Adoration, is a moment of great beauty. In my monastic years, sitting quietly in front of Jesus, listening to my Master, as He was present in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, the Real Presence... truly a touch of God. A moment of quiet, of devotion, of total concentration on He who is beauty itself.
- I long for quiet time with Jesus. So hard to find. You sit in Church and invariably someone comes over to share his or her day. That's OK, they are lonely too, but the moment of quiet is gone. Charity toward others is more important than my quiet moment. There will be another time. I hope it is soon.
- There are various Franciscan practices of withdrawing from the hustle and bustle of the day. Old, and particularly traditional friaries, used to have small houses on the property, hermitages. If we wanted to get away, we'd overnight in one of those places. It was like a mini-retreat. The particular ones I was thinking of had heat, but there were others that did not. Sometimes "roughing it" for a quiet evening with God can be a very beautiful time, but if it is too cold, it becomes a distraction. But Franciscans turn right around and offer these times of distraction for a worthy cause. No time with God is wasted. He is always with us.
- As young children we're taught to say our prayers before going to bed. You kneel in front of your bed and you tell God you love Him, thank you Lord for the beautiful day, and hey Lord, please help Mom and Dad. Do we still pray like that now that we're 50, 60 or older? Well, errr... no. Either we do not pray before going to bed, or we pray Night Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours (particularly as Secular Franciscans) half asleep already... We should have done this a bit earlier. The prayer of an obedient child is worth 100% more than our decrepit attempt at prayer, yet Jesus loves us equally. Another moment of beauty.
- The elderly priest, obviously arthritic, kneels for a long time after Mass’ end, at the altar, adoring Jesus Christ. The pain on the priest’s face is replaced by a glow of prayerful attention. That's a very big moment of beauty.
- A priest in the confessional, who is partially disabled due to a stroke, with great difficulty, arises to stand before me, placing his hands on my head to give me absolution. That's a gesture that goes further than words and in that, there is much beauty.
- A toddler still in his mother's arms, in church, gazes around and when he sees someone, gives that person a most holy and innocent smile. Even though the child does not know the receiver of his moment of joy, his smile is a reflection of Jesus Himself.
Be at peace my friend, make time for Jesus so He can visit with you, too.
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Published in the Canticle of November 2016, revised June 29, 2024