Black Mass Restitution

This, my friends, is how Catholics combat evil.  We draw together as one Body and proclaim the Divinity of the One Who Loves Us.  We adore our God within the humble Eucharist and refrain our thunderous "AMEN!" as the demons tremble in their hellish shackles.  

THIS is the Church Militant as She armors Herself in the Blood of the Lamb.

Special thanks to Justin Bell (@ajustbell) for giving me permission to use the above photo for tonight's entry.  He was present for the Procession and took some really incredible photos. Looking through them, my eyes truly began to well up with gratitude for the outpouring of love for Christ within the Eucharist.  

Lord, You are loved. Forgive us for neglecting to show our love like this more often. 

By now, you've all heard of the repugnant event that was to be hosted on the Harvard campus.  I, like many of my Catholics, joined my brothers and sisters in Boston in a national show of solidarity through prayer, fasting and sacrifice. 

There is nothing more I can possibly say on this matter that hasn't already been outline hundreds of times by others who have written about this.  I will say, however, that I was incredibly hurt by such an event being promoted.  Physically, painfully hurt.  

So from 7pm until 8pm, I locked myself away and offered the hour in union with the entire Church.  I offered it in reparation for the mockery of Christ, I offered it for the conversion and repentance of those responsible, and I offered it for the strength and clarity of those with the power to stop it.  

There were no adoration hours available to me locally, so I chose to unite myself by reading about the Eucharist in a little booklet I picked up about a year ago.  It's been sitting in my drawer waiting for this day.  I pulled it out and spent the hour in prayerful reflection of the lessons contained within.

The booklet is titled The Most Blessed Sacrament and is written by Fr. Stephano Manelli, OFM.  I thought it fitting.  Fr. Manelli creates a quilt of reflections patched together by various saints who were entirely devoted to our Divine God hidden in the Eucharist.  

Folks just don't understand how Catholics can adore what - to them - amounts to be a cracker.  God would never, in their minds, appear as something so insignificant.  God is majestic - divine!  He would not stoop so low as to appear as bread and wine.  

And yet this is exactly who we know God to be.  This is precisely why we praise Him, honor Him and love Him.  The Divine and Unencompassable God consents to become the most base staple of nourishment so that He can mercifully feed us in an intimate and personal way.  That is how loving our God is.  He is not this mythical creature who is too self-important to care for His children.  Instead, He bends over backwards to be near to us.  He cares not for golden ciboriums or tabernacles encrusted with jewels; He years to take refuge within the depths of our soul.  He wishes to enjoin Himself to our deepest, truest essence so that He can fashion us to Him and make us more like Himself - divine.  

This is why Satan hates the Eucharist.  He can't stand that the Divine God humbles Himself so basely for the likes of humanity.  It is why he seeks to mock and sully the truest, most blessed gift ever given to humanity.

St. Augustine once exclaimed of the Eucharist, "Although God is all-powerful, He is unable to give more; though supremely wise, He knows not how to give more; though vastly rich, He has not more to give."

Why is this?  Because in the Eucharist, we are given God's Incarnate Son.  Jesus comes to us fully (Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity) to feed us and nourish our souls with effusions of Divine Grace.  God cannot give more than the gift of Himself in this humble form.  This blessed gift is the summation of His promise to be with us always.  

Methinks I'll be doing a lot more meditating on the Eucharistic Lord in the coming months.  The media still isn't entirely sure if the mockery took place or not.  Some reports are saying it happened in a Chinese restaurant across from campus, others are reporting that it has been pushed off indefinitely.  Either way, evil is beginning to get increasingly brazen, and a more constant meditation and show of Christian love is necessary to combat this treachery. 

Did any of you participate in the 7-8pm vigil?