Art appeals to the heart on a level that challenges complacency and awakens awe. Hidden in His humility, He in proclaimed by those whose hearts beat with His, and are thus moved to reveal Him in their God- inspired creativity.
Tag Archives: Communion
Update: Provision by Pope for Anglicans Who Want to Come Home
Zenit reports:
Roman Catholic Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster and Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams held a press conference today in London, parallel to the announcement in Rome of Benedict XVI’s apostolic constitution that will set up “personal ordinariates” for groups of Anglicans seeking communion with the Church.
“The announcement of this apostolic constitution brings to an end a period of uncertainty for such groups who have nurtured hopes of new ways of embracing unity with the Catholic Church,” the statement adds. “It will now be up to those who have made requests to the Holy See to respond to the apostolic constitution.”Archbishops Nichols and Williams affirm that the constitution is “recognition of the substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality between the Catholic Church and the Anglican tradition.”
And, they said, this would not have been possible without the 40 years of ecumenical dialogue that the Anglican Communion and the Church have shared.
The archbishops promised “continuing cooperation” and said, “With God’s grace and prayer we are determined that our on-going mutual commitment and consultation on these and other matters should continue to be strengthened.”
My Imitation of Christ
The Voice of Christ:
“COME to Me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you.
The bread which I will give is My Flesh, for the life of the world.
Take you and eat: this is My Body, which shall be delivered for you. Do this for the commemoration of Me.
He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me, and I in him.
The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
The Offering of Christ on the Cross; Our Offering
The Voice of Christ:
AS I offered Myself willingly to God the Father for your sins with hands outstretched and body naked on the cross, so that nothing remained in Me that had not become a complete sacrifice to appease the divine wrath, so ought you to be willing to offer yourself to Me day by day in the Mass as a pure and holy oblation, together with all your faculties and affections, with as much inward devotion as you can. What more do I ask than that you give yourself entirely to Me? I care not for anything else you may give Me, for I seek not your gift but you. Just as it would not be enough for you to have everything if you did not have Me, so whatever you give cannot please Me if you do not give yourself. Offer yourself to Me, therefore, and give yourself entirely for God — your offering will be accepted. Behold, I offered Myself wholly to the Father for you, I even gave My whole Body and Blood for food that I might be all yours, and you Mine forever. But if you rely upon self, and do not offer your free will to Mine, your offering will be incomplete and the union between us imperfect. Hence, if you desire to attain grace and freedom of heart, let the free offering of yourself into the hands of God precede your every action. This is why so few are inwardly free and enlightened — they know not how to renounce themselves entirely. My word stands:”Everyone of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth, cannot be My disciple.” If, therefore, you wish to be My disciple, offer yourself to Me with all your heart.
Thinking about Communion
Another day in which to praise the Lord. So again we begin. That’s how I feel, that I am always at the beginning, trying to live just one day as I ought. In this day and age, many people despise the word “ought.” It may be that “ought” presumes some actual Truth and Lawgiver. How gosh in this so sophisticated an age. Though finding the Truth does wonders for our compass. Take Communion: “The Bread that I will give is My flesh, for the life of the world.” John 6:52 “This is My Body, that is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” 1 Cor 11:24 This morning once again I will receive the Lord of Lords in Holy Communion. At least, today, since I am thinking about it out loud, I can see that on most mornings I do this with little thought. Here is how Thomas a’Kempis put it:
Solomon, the wisest of the kings of Israel, spent seven years building a magnificent temple in praise of Your name, and celebrated its dedication with a feast of eight days. He offered a thousand victims in Your honor and solemnly bore the Ark of the Covenant with trumpeting and jubilation to the place prepared for it; and I, unhappy and poorest of men, how shall I lead You into my house, I who scarcely can spend a half-hour devoutly — would that I could spend even that as I ought!
O my God, how hard these men tried to please You! Alas, how little is all that I do! How short the time I spend in preparing for Communion! I am seldom wholly recollected, and very seldom, indeed, entirely free from distraction. Yet surely in the presence of Your life-giving Godhead no unbecoming thought should arise and no creature possess my heart, for I am about to receive as my guest, not an angel, but the very Lord of angels.
Not to be deterred, I remember,too, Jesus’ words, “Come to Me. all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you.” Matt 11:28 I am often my biggest burden but I have great hope for me. Is it any wonder with so generous a God?
Be Holy! 