"He shall be peace" (Micah 5:4a).
"God is Emmanuel--God with us. For this reason, we must never feel alone . . . He is close to us, he became one of us being born in the virginal womb of Mary. He shared our pilgrimage on earth, enabling us to attain that joy and peace, to which we aspire from the depth of our being . . . . God took the initiative to come to meet us. Becoming a baby, Jesus assumed our nature and established his covenant with the whole of humanity forever . . . . He came to Bethlehem to stay with us forever" (Pope John Paul II, General Audience, Dec. 17, 2003).
Day and night Jesus dwells in the Blessed Sacrament because of His infinite love for us! "Behold I am with you always until the end of the world" (Mt 28:20).
In Pope John Paul II's new apostolic letter on the 40th
Anniversary of "Sacrosanctum Concilium," he explains that the thirst
for God that contemporary men and women experience, despite secularization,
must be slaked by intimate contact with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist
(Zenit, Dec. 9, 2003).
New Year Wishes to Our Eucharistic Lord
Excerpts from St. Peter Julian Eymard
"The daily adoration or visit to the Blessed Sacrament
is the practice which is the fountainhead of all devotional works"
(Pope St. Pius X).
"This [Perpetual Adoration] truly is a work of grace. By means of Perpetual Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, families, parishes and neighborhoods will grow in love of God and one another and will help to bring peace on earth" (Bl. Teresa of Calcutta).
Start Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in your parish and city this year!
Mary, Mother of God & Day of Prayer for World
Peace, Jan. 1
"Let us invite the Blessed Virgin to preside maternally
over the Eucharistic life of the entire Church. May she, the spouse
of the Holy Spirit, implore from Him the attainment of that Life which
Christ offers to all through the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, celebrated
and received in the power of the Spirit of Life and Love" (Pope John Paul
II).
Epiphany, Jan. 4 With the wise men let us adore Him, Christ our Eucharistic Lord!
Baptism of the Lord, Jan. 11
(Jn 1:29-33): John the Baptist saw Jesus and exclaimed
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." "It
is He who will baptize with The Holy Spirit." When we go
to "The Lamb," Jesus in The Holy Eucharist, we ask for grace to live out
our Baptismal calling as faithful children of The Father. With
each Hail Mary we pray--to be open to receiving the gifts of The Holy Spirit
(from our A-13 Rosary pamphlet).
St. Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor, France
(315-367), Jan. 13
A layman when appointed Bishop, St. Hilary is known as
"the Doctor of the Divinity of Christ," for his defense of the Divinity
of Jesus. He wrote, "The greatest joy that we can give Mary is that
of bearing Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament within our breast." "O
Sovereign Lord! What do I now behold? All Thy greatness concealed
under the veil of bread! And while Thy love for us ungrateful sinners
reduces Thee so low, the heavens are astonished, the Angels tremble, and
the Seraphim cover their faces. All the powers of the universe bow
down in adoration and praise, and with a thousand voices exalt Thine infinite
Majesty, which fills both Heaven and earth. Christian people, let
us unite our voices with theirs and publish to the whole world this sublime
and eternal canticle: Holy, holy, holy is the powerful God of armies!
The heavens and the earth are filled with His glory. Let us bless
Him that cometh in the name of the Lord, who is the Lord Himself."
St. Francis de Sales, Bishop, Doctor, France (1567-1622),
Jan. 24
Wrote, "We must visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
a hundred thousand times a day."
St. Angela Merici, Consecrated, Foundress of Ursulines,
Italy (1470-1540), Jan. 27
St. Angela worked tirelessly performing works of charity
for those in need, in the missions, and in educating girls. Drawing her
strength and energy from Jesus, in His Eucharistic presence, Angela began
the first teaching order of women founded in the Church.
St. John Bosco, Priest, Salesian Founder, Italy
(1815-1888), Jan. 31
"Jesus could have limited his presence only to the celebration
of Mass, but no! He wanted to make a permanent dwelling among us.
Night and day he awaits us and offers himself to us at all times.
Like a most tender mother, he opens his arms to us. He is there generously
to give us his gifts. He is there to draw us to him and lead us to
paradise with him. Oh! Let us go visit him often" (St. John
Bosco).
Help bring peace by spreading Perpetual Eucharistic
Adoration worldwide! Last year the cost of paper, printing, mailing,
and shipping all increased tremendously. We need your help to continue
to print and distribute this newsletter and other Adoration materials worldwide.
A donation of $9.99 covers the cost of a one year subscription, $19.98
gives a gift subscription, $29.97 will cover three subscriptions!
Please be generous with your prayers and donations to help bring peace
on earth!
M.B.S., P.O. Box 1701, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518) 561-8193
www.ACFP2000.com
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