"He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:8-11).
 

"On the Cross Jesus said: 'I thirst.'  From the Blessed Sacrament Jesus continues to say to each of us: 'I thirst.'  He thirsts for our personal love, our intimacy, our union with Him in the Blessed Sacrament.  His longing for us to be with Him in the Blessed Sacrament is infinitely greater than our longing to be with Him."  "To be alone with Jesus in adoration and intimate union with Him is the greatest gift of love--the tender love of our Father in Heaven."  "Jesus has made Himself the Bread of Life to give us life. Night and day, He is there.  If you really want to grow in love, come back to the Eucharist, come back to that Adoration" (Mother Teresa of Calcutta).

"How can the mother of Jesus, present at the foot of the Cross on Calvary, who offered her Son as Victim for the salvation of souls, be absent at the mystical Calvary of the altar?" (Padre Pio)

"What must Mary have felt as she heard from the mouth of Peter, John, James and the other Apostles the words spoken at the Last Supper: 'This is my body which is given for you' (Lk 22:19)? The body given up for us and made present under sacramental signs was the same body which she had conceived in her womb! For Mary, receiving the Eucharist must have somehow meant welcoming once more into her womb that heart which had beat in unison with hers and reliving what she had experienced at the foot of the Cross. 'Do this in remembrance of me' (Lk 22:19). In the 'memorial' of Calvary all that Christ accomplished by his passion and his death is present. Consequently all that Christ did with regard to his Mother for our sake is also present. To her he gave the beloved disciple and, in him, each of us: 'Behold, your Son!'. To each of us he also says: 'Behold your mother!' (cf. Jn 19: 26-27).  Experiencing the memorial of Christ's death in the Eucharist also means continually receiving this gift. It means accepting--like John--the one who is given to us anew as our Mother" (Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 56 & 57).
 
 

St. John Chrysostom wrote: "When Mass is being celebrated, the Sanctuary is filled with countless Angels who adore the Divine Victim immolated on the altar."  These Heavenly messengers constantly intercede for us as they behold the face of God, in unceasing Adoration.

St. Michael, "Who is like God," is the great defender of the Holy Eucharist and Our Lady, and the champion of the faithful in their battle with the powers of evil (Rev 12:7-8).  This prince of all the heavenly armies of angels is the safeguard of Christians and protector of the Catholic Church.  At the request of Pope Leo XIII, the prayer to St. Michael was said after all the Masses.  St. Michael the Archangel is the patron of the police, the military, the sick and the dying.

St. Gabriel, "strength of God," announced the time of the coming of the Messiah, according to the prophet Daniel. Gabriel, the Angel of the Incarnation, proclaimed the good news that Mary would be the Mother of Jesus, the first tabernacle (Lk 1:26-35), and prayed the "Hail Mary."  Archangel Gabriel, angel of consolation and mercy, is the patron of communication workers.

St. Raphael, "medicine of God," cured Tobit's eyes (Tob 3:17),  protected Tobias in his travels, and led him to Sarah for marriage.  Raphael said: "Praise God and give thanks to him in the presence of all the living for what he has done for you" (Tob 12:6).  Archangel Raphael, angel of love and joy, is the patron of physicians, travelers and young people discerning vocations.

Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8
"Let us rejoice at the birth of our Queen and Mother, which filled heaven with joy, earth with hope, and hell with terror!  Behold, at last 'the strong woman,' the predestined Mother of the Messiah! . . . The world rejoices, for it beholds the advent of its liberatrix.  Mary's birth heralds that of the Savior . . . .  In like manner should we rejoice, since Mary brings us the Bread of Life.  From the day of her birth we salute her as the aurora of the Eucharist, for we know that the Savior of mankind will take from her the substance of that Body and Blood which He will give us in the Adorable Sacrament of His love" (St. Peter Julian Eymard).

St. Peter Claver, Priest, Spain, Patron of Black Missions (1580-1654), Sept. 9
Nourished and sustained by Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, and Mary's intercession, this well educated Jesuit spent his life caring for black slaves in South America, vowing to be "the slave of the blacks forever."  St. Peter baptized 40,000 black slaves and brought them God's healing love through Holy Communion.  With loving patience he fed, clothed and ministered to the sick, reflecting God's love.  St. Peter is the patron of all missions to the black people.

St. Robert Bellarmine, Cardinal, Doctor, Italy, Patron of Catechists (1542-1621), Sept. 17
St. Robert Bellarmine began visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament several times a day while still a youth in school.  When the reception of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist was under attack he wrote, "The bread of wheat that nourishes our bodies is not prepared with so much labor only to be contemplated; it is made to be eaten.  Thus, the Bread of Life, the Bread of the angels, is not offered only for our adoration and homage, but was given to us as food.  Let us go, then, and partake of this Food to nourish and fortify our souls."

St. Andrew Kim Taegon, Priest, Korea (1820-1846), and Companions, Sept. 20
From a noble family, St. Andrew was the first native Korean Catholic priest.  St. Andrew was martyred only 13 months after his ordination, during the 100 years of persecution in Korea.   Strengthened by the Holy Eucharist, over 10,000 Koreans gave their lives for Christ, during this time period. 103 were canonized martyrs, including Bishops, priests and laity.

St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest, Stigmatist, Mystic, Italy (1887-1968), Sept. 23
This Capuchin Friar--who bore the five wounds of Christ--led a life totally devoted to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, through prayer, Adoration and good works.  Known for his gifts as a Confessor, spiritual director, and intercessor, Padre Pio wrote, "We must always have courage, and if some spiritual languor comes upon us, let us run to the feet of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and let us place ourselves in the midst of the heavenly perfumes, and we will undoubtedly regain our strength."  "Kneel down and render the tribute of your presence and devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.  Confide all your needs to him, along with those of others.  Speak to him with filial abandonment, give free rein to your heart, and give him complete freedom to work in you as he thinks best."  St. Pio is referred to as the patron of Eucharistic adorers.  Countless miracles and healings are granted through his intercession.

St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor, Patron of Librarians, Dalmatia (c. 340-d. 420), Sept. 30
Translator of Sacred Scripture into Latin, St. Jerome wrote, "If Christ did not want to dismiss the Jews without food in the desert for fear that they would collapse on the way, it was to teach us that it is dangerous to try to get to heaven without the Bread of Heaven."

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