Blessed beyond all imagining! Those are the words that immediately come to mind as I begin to process the incredible gift of attending the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in the year of Our Lord 2024! Main takeaway? The tangible holy energy of being among so many Catholic believers, all focused on the Reality of Jesus Christ, truly present among us in the Blessed Sacrament, and in one another. Each one of us carrying Christ within us, blessing and greeting one another with respect and joy! How grateful we all are to be living right now, and experiencing His coming among us with the promise of much more to come!
I’m reminded of Cd Dolan asking his Jewish Rabbi friend why he would come to Mass and sit in a front pew. His answer blesses me today: he saw people coming forward with expectant faith, receiving the Eucharist with reverence and respect, and then returning to their pews in an attitude of faithful recollection.
Fr Mike Schmitz reminding us to keep the fire burning, and to consider the question, “what are our fire extinguishers?” To be concrete, and put a name to them, for revival is impossible without true and sincere repentance.
Bishop Espaillat’s words, “God is Great; don’t hesitate!” God is never late; may I not be late in responding!
Martha Hennessy, granddaughter of Dorothy Day, with the reminder that Dorothy spent 20 minutes in silence each day after receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. How often I pack up and leave without this time of recollection; what am I missing that the Lord would have me hear? Dorothy’s plea of penance in the wake of the dropping of the atomic bomb; what bombs are being exploded daily in our culture and world that we are called to do reparation for? “Scripture and Eucharist have power that nothing on earth can withstand.”
Sr Josephine Garrett, “God is doing something here and we need to perceive it!” “Ordinary and simple encounters are sacred and profound.” We are called to be repentant pilgrims, “broken and sinful, yet hopeful and joyful!” She had a word from the Lord for each category of pilgrims at the Congress, from Bishops to laity, all called to cherish the Church as Mother and to bring God’s love to the world.
So many more good words! I think I’ll save some for the next post, so I can savor them and not just rush through them all. But I’ll end this segment with a gift the Lord gave me when Sr Miriam Heiland suggested we ask Jesus where He wanted to meet us.
I saw Him in my bedroom at home, sitting in the arm chair, waiting for me. (He looked like Jonathan Roumie 🙂 He reminded me that I don’t need to go looking for Him “out there, somewhere,” but that He is with me in all places, everywhere. He was happy that I was at the Congress, but waiting for me at home. Little me walked into the bedroom and climbed up on His lap, and He wrapped us up in my Mom’s afghan – which she had crocheted with a prayer for each stitch.
Thank You Lord, for calling me home, for holding me close to Your heart. Thank You for the Eucharistic Congress, and for pouring out Your Spirit on us all as we gathered in Your Name. May You seal the graces we received, and multiply them to be given as gift to this world so in need of Your Love and Mercy….
Spiritual Sun Pennies 