Grace from the Eucharist

When we receive any sacrament, we receive both sanctifying and sacramental grace. Sanctifying grace is the life of God dwelling within us. The more often we receive the sacraments the more grace-filled we become. Every time we receive the Eucharist, it multiplies (increases?) the sanctifying grace in our souls. St. Thérèse of Lisieux gave us a great example, using a cup to represent our soul. Whether you have a small cup or a big cup, when your soul possesses sanctifying grace, your cup is full. Obviously a bigger cup holds more water. God always wants to flood us with grace, but we’re limited in the amount that we are able to receive. Receiving sanctifying (?) grace turns our souls into “bigger cups” so we can receive more grace.

Each sacrament also bestows its own sacramental grace, which is the grace to reach the end, or goal, of that sacrament (CCC 1129). Baptism and reconciliation both give us the grace to never commit a mortal sin, so we can enter heaven in friendship with God. When we sin it is always a rejection of God, even in a small way, and we inflict an injury on our soul. Receiving the Eucharist heals that injury from our past sins while also conforming us to the Father, through Christ. As the Catechism states: “The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of praise by which the Church sings the glory of God in the name of all creation. This sacrifice of praise is possible only through Christ: he unites the faithful to his person, to his praise, and to his intercession, so that the sacrifice of praise to the Father is offered through Christ and with him, to be accepted in him” (CCC 1361).

Singing with the Angels

Every Mass includes the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) as part of the Eucharistic prayer, but why? And where does it come from? 

We sing it because we’re in the presence of heaven; the entire Church is united in worship of God: the pilgrim Church on earth, the suffering Church in Purgatory, and the Church Triumphant in heaven. When we pray and sing we’re praying and singing along with all of these souls, and we can see the evidence in the Bible in both Revelation and Isaiah of the souls in heaven singing the Sanctus because they are in the presence of God. 

In Revelation, John writes about his vision of the angels in Rev 4:8

The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”

The New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old Testament is Revealed in the New, and if we look in the Old Testament we see a similar vision given to the prophet Isaiah in 6:1-3:

In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they hovered. One cried out to the other:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!

All the earth is filled with his glory!”

In the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of Christ there was the “holy place” where priests offered incense to God. This is where Zechariah encountered the angel Gabriel who told him that his wife Elizabeth was going to bear a son, John the Baptist. There was also the “Holy of Holies” where God dwelt, and where the Ark of the Covenant was in the First Temple.

When we recite or sing this during the Mass, we’re singing this in union with the Church in heaven:

 the whole congregation, joining with the heavenly powers, sings the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy). This acclamation, which constitutes part of the Eucharistic Prayer itself, is pronounced by all the people with the Priest (USCCB website).

The angels here are singing this because they are in the presence of God, and it’s said three times because the repetition of a word gives it a greater emphasis. In English, we change the endings on words: great, greater, greatest (singular, comparative, and superlative); but in the Hebrew emphasis or the importance of something is shown by repeating the word instead of changing the ending. The “Holy, Holy, Holy” is acknowledging that in worshiping God, we are worshiping Him because He is the holiest, or the perfection of holiness.

Where Are the Angels in the Mass?

Where Are the Angels in the Mass?

Gloria in Excelsis

It’s rare for people to see angels, but every single time we go to a Catholic Mass we’re surrounded by angels. Parts of the Mass, like the Gloria, are there to remind us of what angels do and that they’re with us. During Advent (and Lent), the Gloria is never sung or said, but why not? It’s important enough to be a part of the Mass, so should it really be skipped?

What is the Gloria?

The answer is in the readings at the Mass During the Night at Christmas. The Old Testament reading at that Mass is Isaiah 9:1-6, which begins:

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone (9:1)

And (skipping a bit):

For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace (9:5)

The Scripture readings at Mass are carefully chosen so that we can see the prophecies that were given in the Old Testament and how they are fulfilled in the New Testament. The Gospel reading for that Mass is Luke 2:1-14: the shepherds are guarding their sheep during the darkness of the night when an angel appears to them in 2:8-12:

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.

The message the angel brings to them is the fulfillment of Isaiah 9:5. It’s the celebration of the Nativity, or birth, of the Lord: 

The angel said to them,
Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger (Lk 2:8-12)

The reference to the light, “the glory of the Lord shone around them,” is a reminder that the angel is not the source of the light: God is. We know that Christ is the light of the world, from John 8:1: “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” That light of the world entered the world on Christmas Day. 

The Savior has come, darkness has been banished by His very presence, and the way to heaven will be open again. The response to the announcement is of such overwhelming joy, that “a multitude of the heavenly host” sing to give glory to God at the birth of the Savior:

And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:

"Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

When we sing the Gloria in Excelsis (Glory to God in the Highest) during Mass, this is the mystery that we’re participating in: the promise of the savior has been fulfilled, and where that light shines the darkness is banished. At every Catholic Mass we’re in the presence of heaven, and every time we sing the Gloria we’re singing it along with all of the angels and saints in heaven to remember this and to celebrate. The Gloria is never said or sung during Advent because it’s our time of waiting for the birth of Christ, just as all of God’s people—from the Fall of Adam and Eve until the birth of Christ—waited for the messiah promised in Genesis 3:15.

The Mass is a shadow and copy of the heavenly liturgy, and when we participate in a Catholic Mass, everything that is said and done is to give us a visible sign of what is invisible to us. The readings remind us that from the beginning, God wanted all of us to be united to Him.

Witness this Christmas!

Adoration of the Magi, Bloemaert

Merry Christmas! More than just the “Reason for the Season”, the birth of Christ is the means by which God chose to save us – by sending His only Begotten Son to become man, to teach us by His words and actions, and to lead us to Heaven by means of the Cross.

The Lord works in mysterious ways – how a tiny baby boy could bring such promise; in which we hope for eternal life. It is not enough to say, “My Lord, and My God”… we must share the Good News for all mankind! Every one of us baptized in Christ are called to evangelize. In a world today that has become post-Christian, we need a re-evangelization.

Each one of us has an opportunity this Christmas to bear witness. Say “Merry Christmas!” Decorate with a nativity scene, and sing hymns when you go caroling. Christmas is more than one day; while your neighbors may be taking down their lights before New Years, you can keep yours up until the Baptism of our Lord.

The most important thing you can do is explain to your children the true meaning of Christmas. Read the Nativity story, go to Mass and celebrate Jesus’ birthday.

Wake up this 4th Week of Advent

Christ Calling, Chambers

Wake up! It’s almost Christmas! Are you ready? Christ is coming!  Just as many years ago in a stable, Our Lord came to dwell among men; so today, our Lord dwells within us through the life of grace. We received the indwelling of the Trinity at our Baptism, and we must nurture God’s life within us.

Yes, oftentimes we fail – we sin – we need to turn back to God. Restored to new life through the Sacrament of Penance, sanctifying grace remains. It has a permanence to it; God’s life stays in us unless we banish it through sin. Yes, sin is the obstacle to union with God.

Now, consider how Mary received God’s life within her – how she nurtured our Lord within Her. We too receive our Lord within us in Holy Communion. Do we give our attention, focus, love to Jesus? Do we bring Jesus into the world through our witness and words?

Children are usually ready for a visit from Santa Claus, for presents, for receiving. They wake up early anticipating the gifts! We need to shake out of our slumber, and comfort-zone to welcome the gift of the Christ Child. Set aside our work and distractions, and come rejoice in the presence of our Lord.

Wonder this 3rd Week of Advent

Transfiguration, Carl Heinrich Bloch

In the third week of Advent, we ought to wonder – how can this be that our Savior – the Second Divine Person of the Blessed Trinity - would choose to become one like us in all things but sin out of such love for us, though we are unworthy sinners.

Wonder is an important part of the religious imagination. Much of our faith is mysterious, and beyond our grasp. This is not an excuse to just over-look these sacred mysteries. Children are always asking “why?” Mysteries are not puzzles to be solved, but with faith we can ponder them in our hearts and come to understand what is inexplicable.

We must wonder at the tremendous sacrifice of our Lord: born in such humble conditions, taking a human nature to lead us to God, giving Himself without reserve unto the bitter end, so we can be with Him forever! Ponder anew the life of grace, obtained at such a great price and given so freely.

We can consider the lowly maiden, the most holy Virgin, as she received our Lord and gave Him her very flesh and blood. We can ponder St. Joseph, who accepted God’s will and with heroic virtue sought to provide for and protect his wife and child.

Are our hearts open to the promptings of God; can we hear His gentle voice and recognize His face today?

A wonderful resource to help children see the distractions of this world, and the opportunity to welcome Christ is called: The Ninth House. 

Why Are There So Many Images of Angels in Catholic Churches?

Angels adoring the Eucharist

If you walk into a Catholic Church the chances are pretty good that you’re going to see a statue or image of at least one angel, but why?

One church that I’ve been to has images of angels on the front doors. The angels have swords, but those swords are sheathed and the angels are holding them with both hands and the tips are pointing downwards towards their feet.

Sometimes there’s an image of St. Michael, and usually he’s shown holding a sword in a fighting stance, or about to strike a demon. It’s a portrayal of the scene from the book of Revelation where he’s just about to defeat Satan in Rev 12:7-9.

Sometimes there are images of angels surrounding the tabernacle, and this is partly a reference to the angels in Exodus 25:17-22 where the sculptures of angels are used to provide the mercy seat. The mercy seat is the throne of God on the Ark of the Covenant and it’s where He descends so that He is present among the Israelites.

In a Catholic Church, God is present in the Eucharist which is kept in the tabernacle after the Mass. The candle beside the tabernacle is lit to indicate the presence of God in that tabernacle, and when Catholics enter the church we genuflect towards the tabernacle to acknowledge that we’ve entered His presence.

God is always surrounded by His heavenly court and of course this includes the angels. During a Catholic Mass, heaven descends to earth and everyone in the church – the Church in heaven, on earth, and in purgatory – is united, even though we’re usually only able to see the members of the church on earth that are around us. The images are to remind us of the others that are there with us: they make visible what is invisible. Angels are pure spirit so we’re not able to see them as they are, but sometimes we can see them when they take on the form of a human body. The images also remind us of the different ways that they interact with us during our lives.

When Adam and Eve rejected God and had to leave the Garden of Eden, God placed a cherubim wielding a fiery sword to guard the entrance so they couldn’t return. It’s a symbol of heaven indicating that the gates of heaven were closed to human beings as well as God’s promise in Gen 3:15. Before God tells Adam and Eve what their punishment will be, He tells them that He will send a savior to open the gates to heaven again and reunite us with Him.

At the Incarnation, the second person of the trinity assumed a human nature. He became incarnate and was born to heal the broken relationship that human beings now have with God so that everyone can be reunited with God in heaven. Through His suffering, death, and resurrection He took on the punishment for the sins of Adam in Gen 3:17-19 and opened the gates of heaven.

When we enter a Catholic church where Christ is present in the tabernacle, we enter into the presence of heaven because the way is now open. This is why the angels on the doors of that Church are shown holding swords that are sheathed and pointing downwards: the angel guarding the way to Eden no longer prevents us from entering, but when we die in friendship with God we enter into eternal life with Him.