The Solemnity of the Annunciation is celebrated this Tuesday 25 March. The Annunciation is the first of the Joyful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary and it celebrates the invitation to the Blessed Mother, extended by the message of the Archangel Gabriel, to conceive through the power of the Holy Spirit and to allow the Word of God to be made flesh and to dwell among us. As the Angelus reminds us…
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts: that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 1:14
In nine months, we will celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season. As the song “Joy to The World” reminds us: “Let every heart prepare him room.” We faithfully use the Advent season to engage in this preparation to make him room. Yet, even apart from Advent, we are constantly called to “prepare him room.”
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Our quick glance this day is the Sacrament of the Eucharist. God indeed chose to make his dwelling among us, and he continues to choose to make his dwelling among us every time we approach the altar worthily to receive this Most Blessed Sacrament. Every reception of the Eucharist should be met with the same level, if not more, of the preparation of Advent. We sweep away the grime of mortal sin so to make our souls sparkle to receive our King. We empty ourselves of nourishment to strengthen our hunger for this foretaste of the Banquet Feast of Heaven and allow our hunger for righteousness and justice to be sated. We extend our hands, or tongue, and through our Amen we say yes to God so the grace of the Body and Blood of his Son may be poured forth into our hearts.
The season of Lent concludes on Holy Thursday when we culminate forty days of cleansing, forty days of service, forty days of hunger, with the celebration of the consecration of the Bread of Angels. “All on earth can see what we are called to be: hope for a world in need, signs that love can succeed where true justice and peace endure.” Panis Angelicus, v. 2
Quick Glance Catechism…
Sacraments: Eucharist
1. Eucharist: the Greek word for ‘Eucharist’ is ‘eucharistia,’ which means “giving thanks.” The real presence of Jesus in the form of bread and wine. It is not a mere symbol, but is truly the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus.
2. Blessed Sacrament: The Blessed Sacrament is another name for the Eucharist.
3. Body of Christ: The Body of Christ is the Church or the People of God. We also call the consecrated bread at the Eucharist the Body of Christ.
4. What are the requirements to receive the Eucharist worthily: one must be a Catholic, free of any mortal sins, worthily prepared through sacrament of confession and sincerely desire union with Christ (1 Cor 11:27-29). Also, a one-hour fast is required before receiving Eucharist except for drinking water or taking medicine.
5. The Tabernacle: The holy place that the consecrated hosts are kept in between Masses.
6. What should we do when we see the tabernacle? Make the Sign of the Cross and genuflect.
7. Why do we Genuflect: Genuflecting is a sign of our reverence to Jesus who is really present in the Eucharist in the form of bread.
8. Can a person receive Eucharist twice in a day: Yes, only within the Eucharistic celebration in which the person participates and not outside of the celebration of mass.
9. Transubstantiation: during the celebration of the Eucharist, the bread and wine used in the sacrament become the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ. This transformation is not merely symbolic; rather, it asserts that the substances of bread and wine are changed while their appearances remain the same.
10. Consubstantiation: a misinterpretation of the consecration. This misbelief asserts that during the Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ coexist with the bread and wine. This means that the substance of the bread and wine remains unchanged, but Christ’s presence is truly real and significant. (This is the concept of Protestants and Lutheranism).