First of all I just finished reading a book that was so exceptional and eye-opening, that I am going to have to reread it again to fully grasp all of it's gems. It's called The Lamb's Supper, by Scott Hahn. And if you are a Catholic you have likely heard of it or probably read it. And I highly recommend it to everyone, Catholic or not! Why has it taken me so long to pick this book up and read it?? Well because some of his other books have been very difficult for me to work my way through.
This, however, was not.
It was amazing.
And because of my recent trip to my hometown where Mom, Isabel and I attended Mass almost every day I was there, and because of what I learned from this book I just read, I have decided to try to attend Mass as often as I can now that I am back home.
If you are not Catholic, you may be wondering why I've jumped into the deep end of the going-to-church "pool", if you will. It's because each day I attend Mass and receive Holy Communion (the true Body and Blood of Jesus) I am strengthened by Christ and it increases my desire for my God. I receive Him and He works to do great things in my heart!
To be in the presence of the Almighty Son of God and to receive His flesh and blood as my food! For Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." John 6:51
But there are so many today who are like the Jews who quarreled among themselves and wonder just as they did, "How can He give us His flesh to eat?" (John 6:52).
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever." John 6:53-58
And even yet, the disciples pressed him because it was such a hard teaching and then many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him (John 6:66). The teaching was so hard, that for some it was too hard...and they could not believe the Son of God could give us His flesh to eat.
What joy it is to receive Jesus in this way! It looks like a simple wafer...a humble piece of bread. But didn't Jesus humble Himself to come down from heaven? To take on humanity? To be born in a stable among animals? To be laid in a manger, a food trough!? To give His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity to us to eat as food in the humblest form of bread.
Oh this book! If all Catholics could understand what a treasure we have in the Eucharist! And the parallels that Scott Hahn draws between the Mass and the book of Revelation were unreal and totally exciting to me!
I feel so blessed lately! Mary Grace's one year anniversary is just days away, and yet I am not sad. In fact it's hard for me to think about potentially being sad. Rob and I were having this conversation just a day ago and he asked what we were going to do for her on that day, and then stated that he didn't really want to make a plan because he wasn't sure how I would be feeling that day (which meant 'I don't want to do anything to make you more sad, depressed, add to your grief' etc.) But the reality is that I am erupting with joy at the mysteries God is unfolding before my eyes daily. I really didn't know how to tell him that I didn't think it would be possible for me to be sad! The thought of being sad on Sunday is almost laughable to me at this moment.
God has done wondrous things for me this year! And on Sunday I imagine I will be rejoicing in my Lord and Savior as I receive the Eucharist at Mass....and I can't think of a better way to be closer to and to celebrate Mary Grace in heaven, than by receiving our Lord at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
5 comments:
Aw finally! I beautiful Catholic post! I'm excited I found your blog. I too, am attempting to make it to daily mass. I'm not a morning person, so it's a struggle, but the graces of attending mass each day has proven to be worth dragging myself out of bed. Thanks for a wonderful post! Oh, and I love Scott Hahn. I haven't gotten to that one quite yet, but many of his books were my textbooks during college!
I cannot tell you how touched I am by this post. You are a wonderful writer; the best kind, the kind that writes directly from the heart. May God bless you and your sweet family.
And if I may say, you reading this book seems to be about God's timing. It was your time to pick up this particular book by Scott Hahn on the Eucharist. I hear your enthusiasm, your awareness, your incredible faith. Great post.
I loved this book too! I learned so much that I had never known in my entire Catholic life!
Wonderful book! I should re-read it for a third time-it's just that good!
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