“That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive. But doing the truth in charity, we may in all things grow up in him who is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15)
We are in a crisis in the Catholic Church, especially when it comes to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Pew Research Center has found that nearly 69% of Catholics believe the bread and wine at Mass “are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.”1 How can this be when the Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life?”2 It is a sad reality, although its true. Most adults, teens, children, and Catholics in general today are confusion. When I used to work with the youth of a nearby Parish, I found that most ask simple and general questions about God, for example, who He is. Years ago while teaching a class a teenager asked me “Is Jesus in the sacrament or is He the sacrament.” And I came to find she had a Lutheran understand of Communion.
On a personal level, when I was younger I was never told about who Jesus was nor about the Eucharist. When coming into the Church back in 2014, one night in prayer, I was illumined to the reality that Jesus is God. I needed more answers to the questions I had. I relied on saintly books, Faithful YouTube Channels, and the internet for Catechesis.3 Everything was new to me, but what kept me drawn to the Catholic Church was the Real Presences, and this holds true even till today, for the Eucharist IS GOD HIMSELF.
If we do not teach the youth, who do you think will? They will learn from what they see on the television and movies. They will learn from the Drag Queens at story hour. They will learn from the various heretical secs that permeate our society who deny the Real Presence. They will learn abortion, murdering children in the womb, is “normal” and “accepted” because the State deems it so. They will learn the falsehoods they push in public schools. A public school that, even when they are teaching facts, frame them in an atheistic way; for example, when learning about cells in school, they will teach on varying parts of the cell, but they frame it in such a way as to say “all you are is a bunch of random cells. You do not matter.”
There once was a young women attending college when she really wanted to be discerning a vocation to become a Sister of a local convent. Although she did not want to continue school and attend college, alas, her parents forced it upon her. Don’t worry parents, at this point I will not talk on the sins of parents, or how high there responsibility’s are, especially in preserving there Children’s innocents. I do not want to run out of breath so-to-speak, or rather, have my hand cramp from writing so much. And frankly, we do not have enough time. Anyways, this young women, although exposed to all sorts of evils, was still steadfast in her Catholic Faith. Something that is rare because the modern-day school system is entirely atheist and designed to have people loose the Faith. “They are cunning and sometimes I know I am being dooped but cannot tell why,” she said. See the craftiness of these heathens. Compare this to Saint Thomas’s approach, who lays out his appointments arguments better then they do and then answers them point by point.
What is the point of me bring all this up in connections to belief in the Eucharist? The point is to know the Voice of God vs the lies of the fallen one.
“My sheep hear my voice:” the Lord says, “and I know them, and they follow me.”(John 10:27) The demons lie. (See John 8:44) The fallen one deceives. but God say “I am the Truth.” God is Truth. And God is the Eucharist. The Eucharist is truth. “[T]he Blessed Sacrament ... you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth, and more than that"4
We hear some say, “I am afraid there is not a one size fits all easy quick fix to the current crisis in the world or Church.” But may I suggest that there is, and Its called The Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is our only solution and our only hope. Of course Catechisis on all levels needs to not dumbing down the theology of the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Faith, especially when it comes to the Real Presence. But truly we, as a Church, need to bring Him to a wounded world, and start with ourselves, who have become so worldly.
“St. Peter Julian Eymard, known as the Apostle of eucharistic adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, said"The less Jesus is adored in the Blessed Sacrament, the more present and powerful Satan becomes." Dr. Bernard Nathanson, renowned New York abortionist before his conversion to the Catholic faith, lamented that if Catholics were truly Catholic, our abortion society would not exist. From 2008–2010, Ciudad Juárez in northern Mexico was listed as one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Drugs, gang violence and murder rates were sky high, and the police could do little about it.
Then came Eucharistic adoration. In 2013, missionaries opened the city's first perpetual adoration chapel, and crime rates began to plunge shortly thereafter. Now, the city is considered safer than many American cities. Father Patrico Hileman believes the drastic change is due to eucharistic adoration. "When a parish adores God day and night, the city is transformed," said Fr. Hileman, not to be confused with Fr. Richard Heilman of United States Grace Force from the diocese of Madison.5
Thought various experiences I have come to see that when youth are brought to adoration and are brought their by their parents in particular, everyone learns the central truth of the Faith, first and foremost, that Jesus is present; and this is where all others Truth flows, from The Truth itself (as stated above). Children are perfectly capable of understand a lot of beautiful things that we might sometimes think is too complicated for them to understand and thus by dumbing down the One True Faith with its beautiful theology. We do not use the correct terms and create confusion to where our Church doesn’t become the place where they get there spiritual milk, but just a place of social gathering. Of course we are not going to force them to chug the whole gallon of spiritual milk, so to speak, but we need to start to pour them a hearty glass so they can get exactly what they need. If a child can ask a question about a topic of the faith, they deserve an appropriate response, regardless of who they ask. “But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15) Look how children can name all of the different characters on their favorite television shows. Does anyone really think they cannot understand or memories scripture and prayers? After making Adoration a perpetual part of the week, it will come naturally to go more and more and developed a hunger for the Lord.
After making Adoration a perpetual part of my week, I started developing awe and wonder of Who is there. Peace and grace entered my life and I was then finding myself excited to go to Adoration. I slowly started to go to Adoration more and more, learning new ways each time to praise Christ. I want the same for all people, priest, religious, peoples young and old, but especially families. Sister Lucia dos Santos, of Fatima,said, “the final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family. Don’t be afraid, she added, because anyone who works for the sanctity of marriage and the family will always be fought and opposed in every way, because this is the decisive issue. And then she concluded: however, Our Lady has already crushed its head.”6
Why don’t see a lot of children in adoration? Why do I get this response when I have asked teens how often you go to adoration:
“We just sit there for an hour or so and wait till there parent is done and leave.” I have come to find that a lot of teens are not patient and do not like to go into the adoration for that reason. They don’t really know what is going. Question, why would you want to go somewhere were you don’t know what’s going on? The main goal is to educate the children/teens/young adults and adults Who’s The Real Presence is it,and what we do when we are in His Presence. This must of course start in the home and is a duty of parents, but the Church, namely her priest and religious, need to be there to make this a reality. How blessed families are when they have a Church near them that offers 24/7 Adoration and are encouraged to go together.
Each one of us is different, and I know from my own experience I had to see what way I like to spend time with God the best. We should all be praying the Rosary daily. Struggling to find time to pray it? Create a holy hour and set aside time in Adoration before our Lord to offer up a Rosary. Place it in our Blessed Mothers Immaculate hands so she can place it in our Saviors Sacred Hands. Bring Scriptures and pray through them. Maybe you need to get away from everything and sit in silence? Get away from the world and go to the Lord in you local Adoration Chapel.
Holy Hours are a must for priest and religious. We should be teaching all to find there method of unlatching themselves from the busy world and truly being present with God.
What a loss for those who do not have Faith in the Eucharist...Those who do not see, do not want to believe, those who do see, believe in the Word of God, those who do not see, do not have faith in the Eucharistic. Those who know The Word of God, The Word made Flesh, see Him…always. These are the faithful souls who take Communion seriously! Who frequent Adoration Chapels. Make a Holy Hour’s. Simply, souls that love there Lord. We have him here in all the tabernacles in all the Catholic Church’s of the world. Go to Him. Seek His Face. He is truly here. God is here in our mists. Do we see? Or are we like the Great Multitudes, unbelieving and blind. Good News, the Lord can heal those who are blind. Seek Him, and you too will live.7
"… I have never in fifty-five years missed So we see that in the Eucharist, Christ intends to draw us into contemplation of the mystery of God[,”] Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said, “When I stand up to talk, people listen to me; they will follow what I have to say. Is it any power of mine? Of course not. St. Paul says, ‘What have you that you have not received and you who have received, why do you glory as if you had not?’ But the secret of my power is that I have never in fifty-five years missed spending an hour in the presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. That’s where the power comes from. That’s where sermons are born. That’s where every good thought is conceived.”8
Do you need healing? Do you need to forgive? Do you need peace? Do you need venture? Do you need grace? Do you need love? Go to the source. Go to the fountain. Do you need to get away? Do you want to be right in front of Jesus truly present before your eyes? Go to Adoration. Sit there with our blessed Mother. Go to Adoration. Your Eucharistic Lord is waiting for you.
Do you need Faith?
Go to Him.
by,
Nicholas Robert Bezzina O.Praem
[Published February 4th 2023,St. Fredericks O.Praem’s Feast Day, the day Nicholas Bezzina became a member of Third Order of Prémontré (aka Norbertine) at Saint Michaels Abby, California)