Reflection: In Thanksgiving for all the blessings from the Lord...

A Mass will be offered for you, John 10:10 Prayer Partners, and for your intentions. We give thanks for all your prayers for the babies, little ones and families. We never know how our prayers are used.  The Lord takes our prayers and little offerings and places them where they are needed. The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all His benefits, for all He has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification.  Eucharist means, first of all, "thanksgiving."

We gather around the table of the Lord at the altar during Mass. Jesus is alive in the Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  During the Mass, heaven and earth meet.  The Mass is the most perfect prayer.  When you go to Mass, try to arrive early, read the Mass readings and meditate on them. If you can, stay after Mass is over and sit quietly with the Lord.  At every Mass, He will strengthen you, comfort you and heal you.

When you are not able to go to Mass or anytime during the day, you can make a prayer of Spiritual Communion.  It cannot replace receiving the Eucharist but it is a very real extension of its fruits.  The more the prayer of Spiritual Communion becomes a habit, the more you unite yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

During the Offertory, think about what you want to bring to the Lord at that Mass.  When the priest calls down the Holy Spirit over the bread and wine, this is when the miracle happens.  Through the words of the priest, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus.  At the moment of the Consecration, heaven and earth meet.  Mary is present, standing with her beloved priest and the altar is surrounded by angels.  At that moment, tell the Lord your heart’s desire, tell him what you are offering to Him, tell Him what you need and thank Him for all He has done for you.  When you receive Jesus in the Eucharist, speak to Him.  He will transform you and fill you with unimaginable graces.

Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals, like roses planted near running waters; send up the sweet odor of incense, break forth in blossoms like the lily.  Send up the sweet odor of your hymn of praise; bless the Lord for all He has done!  Sirach 39:13-14

O give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1