Although today is the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, in the Church’s Roman Liturgical Calendar it’s also the memorial for Saint John Vianney. He is known as the Cure D’Ars, the Priest of Ars. He converted thousands to the Catholic faith during this lifetime as a priest. Pope Pius XI declared him the “Patron of Parish Priests” in 1929.
As a good priest should, he loved celebrating Holy Mass and had a profound devotion to the True Presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. He spent countless hours in the Confessional for he loved the souls under his care. He received grace and strength from the Blessed Sacrament.
Below are 10 words from St. John Vianney to the 21st century on the True Presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
- “How pleasing to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is the short quarter of an hour that we steal from our occupations, from something of no use, to come and pray to Him, to visit Him, to console him.”
- “Do not be afraid of people saying that going to Mass on a weekday is only for those who have nothing to do…Are you ashamed to serve God for fear of being despised?”
- “Our Lord is hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, waiting for us to come and visit Him.”
- “After the reception of the Sacraments, when we feel the love God growing cold, let us instantly make a Spiritual Communion.”
- “What happiness do we not feel in the Presence of God, when we are alone at His feet before the Sacred Tabernacle!…Redouble your fervor, you are alone to adore your God; His eyes rest upon you alone.”
- “When we want to obtain anything of the good God, let us, after Holy Communion, offer Him His well-beloved Son, with all the merits of His Death and Passion; He will be able to refuse us nothing.”
- “When a soul has received the Sacrament of the Eucharist worthily, it is humble, mortified, charitable, and is capable of the most sublime sacrifices. In short, it is no longer the same.”
- “When we come from our Communions, if anyone said to us: “What are you taking home with you?” we should be able to reply: “I am carrying away Heaven!”
- “To what outrages does Our Lord expose Himself in the Blessed Sacrament that He may remain in the midst of us! He is there to console us, and therefore we ought often to visit Him.”
- “Happier than those who lived during His mortal life, when He was only in one place, we find Jesus Christ today in every corner of the world, in the Blessed Sacrament.”
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, you gave us the great parish priest, St. John Vianney, who was full of pastoral zeal and grace. Through his intercession, help us to win more souls for Jesus Christ so that we all may attain Heavenly and eternal glory with you. Amen.
This post is dedicated to Bishop James S. Wall, Bishop of Gallup, New Mexico; Rev. Chad King, Parochial Vicar of Saint Gabriel the Archangel in Phoenix, AZ; Rev. Daniel Liu, Campus Minister at Saint Peter Catholic Student at Baylor University, Texas; and Rev. Daniel Pattee, TOR, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.
Thank you for all you do as PRIEST.
Categories: Sacraments, Saints & Angels
TOM PERNA 
so wonderful!! thanks for posting
Very inspiring! There is a 24-hour adoration chapel near my work, so I try to spend time with the Blessed Sacrament as often as I can. This post reminds me to make more of an effort. Thank you.
This is magnificent counsel and worthy of reading and re-reading countless times. Not for nothing is the Holy Eucharist known as the GREATEST of the seven sacraments. Becuase in the Holy Eucharist is found the God-Man, the Man-God, Jesus the Christ, Creator, Redeemer and King of the universe. As they might say in Hollywood, but unfortunately probably not often THIS IS FABULOUS! At at least one mass @ every Catholic parish in the U.S., a homily s/be devoted to this cosmic miracle of the Lord God of Hosts made present under the appearance of bread through the words of transubstantiation uttered by the Catholic priest @ the summit of Holy Mass. And that s/be if only to remind the faithful of the eternal sublimity of this priestly ministerance by which such a cosmic act occurs. Don’t many statistics tell us that fewer than 70% of those who attend and immerse themselves in the Holy Mass even believe in the True Presence of Our Savior any more? Truly sad. I pray that one day the recovery of the sacred may happen again when the faithful are present @ Mass. GOD BLESS ALL, MARKRITE
Thanks for commenting. Hope you can share this blog post and the blog with your family and friends.
Not sure about the stats you mentioned, but if people had real sense of what happens at every single Mass, I don’t think we would have the room to fit people in the churches. Yes, Christ’s body is truly present and among us today!
Simple and very valuable. Thank you.
Reblogged this on Catholic4Life.