St. Josemaria made his First Communion on April 23, 1912 and would always observe with unabashed fervor the anniversary of that wonderful day.
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One of the highest compliments we can pay to a place is to say: I feel at home here.
Receiving Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist is the closest we’ll ever be to Jesus Christ on earth. Therefore, St. Josemaria Escriva encouraged everyone to truly recollect themselves in prayer during those holy moments of our lives.
This spiritual toolkit was curated by the St. Josemaria Institute to celebrate and aid in devotion to the Holy Eucharist in preparation for the Eucharistic Congress being held July 17th – 21st.
Today, on the feast of Corpus Christi, we come together to consider the depths of our Lord’s love for us, which has led him to stay with us, hidden under the appearances of the blessed Sacrament.
As a young boy, St. Josemaria Escriva learned a prayer for spiritual communion that he cherished and shared with others during his lifetime.
It is no accident that Jesus chooses to have the Passover meal with his closest friends before he is to suffer the greatest pain of his life on earth.
What I have learned from St. Josemaria is that you can connect with Jesus present in the Eucharist anywhere you are.
Let us set the scene. I picture Jesus sitting by the shore of the Sea of Galilee, with Capernaum in the backdrop on a somewhat bitter evening.
We are careful about calorie counting, protein intake, omega supplements, as we try to increase one thing and decrease another. It’s easy to be obsessed with the process: we want to see the results, the fruits, of our discipline. Result seeking in the spiritual life, however, can be misplaced…
The Lord does not remain with us in the Eucharist for His own sake, but to meet our deepest human needs for love and friendship: “Jesus, who has encouraged this feeling of emptiness in us, comes out to meet us” (Christ is Passing By, no. 170).
A reflection on love for the sacred liturgy must begin beneath an old tree.