VATICAN.VA RELEASE: Dear brothers and sisters!
Today,
in Italy and in many other countries, they celebrate Corpus Christi, i.e.
the solemn Feast of the body and blood of the Lord, the Eucharist. It's
always tradition alive, in this day, keep the solemn processions with the
Blessed Sacrament, in the streets and squares. In
Rome this procession was already held at the diocesan level last Thursday, the
precise day of this occurrence, which annually renews in Christians the joy and
gratitude for the Eucharistic presence of Jesus among us.
The
feast of Corpus Christi is a great act of public worship of the
Eucharist, the sacrament in which the Lord remains present even beyond the time
of celebration, to be always with us along the passing of hours and days.
San
Giustino, which already has left us one of the oldest on the Eucharistic liturgy
States that, after the distribution of Holy Communion to those present,
showbread was brought by the deacons to absent (see Apology, 1, 65).
Therefore
in the churches the sacred place is precisely that which keeps the Eucharist.
I
can't not think about it with emotion to the many churches which were severely
damaged by the recent earthquake in Emilia Romagna, the fact that the
Eucharistic Body of Christ in the Tabernacle, in some cases remained under the
rubble. Please
fondly for communities, with their priests should gather for mass outdoors or in
large tents; the
thank you for their testimony and how they are doing on behalf of the entire
population. It
is a situation that does stand out even more the importance of being United in
the name of the Lord, and the strength that comes from the Eucharistic bread,
also called «pilgrims» bread. By
sharing this Bread was born and renews the ability to share life and property,
bring the weights for each other, to be hospitable and welcoming.
The
solemnity of the body and blood of the Lord brings us the value of Eucharistic
adoration. The
servant of God Paul VI recalled that the Catholic Church professes the worship
of the Eucharist not only during mass, but also out of his celebration, keeping
with the utmost diligence the consecrated hosts, presenting them to the solemn
veneration of the faithful Christians, and brought in procession with gaudio
Christian crowd "(Enc. Mysterium fidei, 57).
The
prayer of adoration you can accomplish both personally, stopping in meditation
before the Tabernacle, community, both also with Psalms and songs, but always
focusing on silent, which hear inwardly the Lord living and present in the
sacrament. The
Virgin Mary is also teacher of this prayer, because no more and better than you
have been contemplating Jesus with eyes of faith and welcome in the cozy
resonances of his human and divine presence. To
his intercession spread and grow in every ecclesial community an authentic and
profound faith in the Eucharistic mystery.
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