The first Thanksgiving....The Last Supper
Yesterday morning at Holy Mass I found myself tracking the movement of the liturgical rites very closely. After the "Holy, Holy, Holy," the words of the Eucharistic Prayer seemed to flower with meaning. They seemed alive. That's because they were!
When our celebrant said:
Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
I thought:
...How does the Holy Spirit purify and sanctify?
Is it not through supernatural light-fire?
Think!
What do the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant, The Feast of Pentecost, and Purgatory have in common?
When our celebrant said:
Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
I thought:
...How does the Holy Spirit purify and sanctify?
Is it not through supernatural light-fire?
Think!
What do the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant, The Feast of Pentecost, and Purgatory have in common?
Fire (Pillar of Fire) ...Fire (Tongues of Fire) ...Fire (Refining Fire) FIRE—LIGHT.
The day before he suffered
The day before he suffered
he took bread in his sacred hands
and looking up to heaven, to you,
his almighty Father, he gave you thanks and praise.
He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
Take this, all of you, and eat it:
this is my body which will be given up for you.
I thought:
I thought:
...What has really happened here?
Is it not true that through the power of the Holy Spirit there is now supernatural Life (both divine and glorified human life) where before there was none?
Think!
What happens when the power of sunlight strikes a green plant? Why is Vitamin D—so critical for human health and development—absorbed by the body through exposure to sunlight? Why is a burst of light energy the most probable explanation for the image on the Shroud of Turin; an image that records the moment of Christ's Resurrection?
Is it not true that through the power of the Holy Spirit there is now supernatural Life (both divine and glorified human life) where before there was none?
Think!
What happens when the power of sunlight strikes a green plant? Why is Vitamin D—so critical for human health and development—absorbed by the body through exposure to sunlight? Why is a burst of light energy the most probable explanation for the image on the Shroud of Turin; an image that records the moment of Christ's Resurrection?
In each instance LIGHT leads directly to LIFE.
When supper was ended, he took the cup.
When supper was ended, he took the cup.
Again he gave you thanks and praise,
gave the cup to his disciples, and said:
Take this all of you and drink from it:
Take this all of you and drink from it:
this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.
I thought:
I thought:
...When Jesus announces his impending shedding of blood on Cavalry,
what is he really talking about?
Is this not the ultimate expression of His Love, for he told us "what greater love is there than to lay down one's life for a friend?" (John 15:13)
what is he really talking about?
Is this not the ultimate expression of His Love, for he told us "what greater love is there than to lay down one's life for a friend?" (John 15:13)
Think!
Why did Jesus cry and then raise Lazarus in Bethany? Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem and then rebuild her in three days? Why, just before his death did He gift the Disciple He loved to His Mother and her to him?
'Woman, behold, your son!' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!’"
(John 19:26-27).
'Woman, behold, your son!' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!’"
(John 19:26-27).
In each instance the gift of one's LIFE is the essence of LOVE.
Do this in memory of me.
Do this in memory of me.
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life.
Lord Jesus, come in glory.
And with this bold proclamation are we not hearing the converse of the process, which is also true.
rising you restored our life.
Lord Jesus, come in glory.
And with this bold proclamation are we not hearing the converse of the process, which is also true.
"Dying"...His LOVE ("No greater love" )
"Rising"...His LIFE ("Offering us the promise of eternal life")
"Glorified"...His LIGHT ("as lightning that flashes from East to West")
Yes, these are great and profound mysteries.
We need to bundle these essences of God together and witness to them as a unified triune supermystery. One look at how they are being used and abused in our increasingly secular world is enough to convict us for our lackluster efforts.
If you GOOGLE "Light, Life, Love" you will see what I mean.
LIGHT—false enlightenment, neon lights, spotlights
LIFE—culture of death
LOVE—culture of lust (sexual and material)
There was a very good reason why Pope John Paul II issued the new Luminous Mysteries which end with the Last Supper, the institution of the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Eucharist, the quintessential Mystery of Light.
We must give thanks each and every day
for the gift of the Fullness of Truth
of our Catholic Faith.
HAPPY
THANKSGIVING
Sincerely yours in Jesus and Mary,
Mike Rizzio, SOLT
Imitate Mary
Become like Jesus
Live for the Triune God
Seek the Light of Our Lord Jesus Christ
See you on the High Ground!
* - J.M.J. + O.B.T. + M.G.R. stands for: Jesus, Mary and Joseph;
O Beata Trinitas; St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment