25 August 2011: Memorial -- St Louis, King of France

Father of eleven children whom he educated in an exemplary manner. He lived a great spirit of penance and prayer; as well as temporal and spiritual common good of his countrymen. Leader of the second crusade. He died near Tunis. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1622)

‘I am the living bread ...’
Jesus, after travelling the whole day throughout Genesareth curing the sick, reached Capernaum at dusk on the sabbath. He went to the synagogue at once and found a numerous assembly most of whom had been fed and satisfied the day before.
Their eagerness to see Jesus again, though praiseworthy, had no merit because they were only actuated by a purely material motive. “Truly, I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” (cf Jn 6:26)
Jesus, wishing gradually to prepare men’s minds to believe the wonderful miracle of the Eucharist, availed of this attitude of the people of Capernaum to tell them, “Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you” (Jn 6:27). “I am the living bread which comes down from heaven.” (Jn 6:41) “The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” (Jn 6:52)
The Jews argued, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (Jn 6:53) Jesus, rather than deny the sense of the real presence, answered, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him. Your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that eats this bread will live forever.” (Jn 6:54-8)
These wonderful words from the heart of our loving Saviour inspire us to thank him with our whole hearts. First, for bestowing himself to be the food of our souls. Second, for clearly and precisely teaching this extraordinary mystery that to doubt it is impossible. Third, for having allowed us to be born in the bosom of the Catholic Church, where we often had and continue to enjoy the happiness of receiving this mysterious food.
“After hearing this, many of Jesus’ followers said, ‘This teaching is very hard; who can accept it?’” (Jn 6:60) “Because of this many of his disciples withdrew and no longer followed him.” (Jn 6:66) “So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Will you also go away?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know you are the Holy One of God.’” (cf Jn 6:68-70)
Let us, with St Peter, declare our absolute attachment to the person of our Lord. But knowing how naturally inconstant we are, let us beg and implore him to help us, to defend us against our own weakness and against the snares of our enemies.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp528-30

The Most Holy Eucharist, Christ’s Redemptive Sacrifice
In the Eucharist the Redemption is seen again in today’s actions: Christ’s sacrifice, by becoming the sacrifice of the Church, produces its fruits of reconciliation and salvation in the whole of mankind.
When the priest says the words, ‘This is my body offered in sacrifice for you’, in the name and person of Christ, he affirms Christ’s presence; and expresses the sacrifice wherein Jesus gave his life for the salvation of all. In his discourse at Capernaum after the multiplication of loaves, to induce understanding of the worth of the Bread he wished to provide for the hungry crowds, he had declared: “The bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.” (Jn 6:51) The gift of the eucharistic bread was to cost Jesus the sacrifice of his own flesh. Thanks to the sacrifice, this flesh would be able to communicate life.
The words of consecration over the wine are even more explicit. ‘This is the chalice of my blood for the new and eternal Alliance, shed for you and for all in remission of sins.’ The blood given as drink is the blood shed on Calvary for constitution of the New Alliance. The first Alliance had been broken by sin. Christ established a new Alliance, which will never be broken, because it is realized in his very person, whereby mankind has been reconciled definitively with God. So, in consecration of the bread and wine, the redeeming sacrifice is made present.
Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, p233

Prayer --- “Here is an effective custom for achieving presence of God: your first appointment every day should be with Jesus Christ.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow”, 450)

Goods are only the means
Confidence in earthly matters condemns one to be ineffective in what really counts. Jesus wants us to love earthly things in the right way: “... fill the earth and have dominion over every living thing” (Jer 17:6). But loving material goods in the wrong way leaves no room in the soul for the love of God. Loving our Lord and such ‘attachment’ are ‘incompatible’.
He who has what he needs avails of the things of this world as if he did not use them; he does not allow them to rule over his heart, so they are always of use to his soul, which tends towards higher things. (cf St Gregory the Great, “Homilies on the Gospels”, 36) Our hearts are for God who made them. Only in him will we earn eternal happiness.
“Jesus is not satisfied ‘going halves’: he wants the lot.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 155) All other upright and noble loves, which determine our life here on earth, are ordered to, and fed by, this one great love: Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mary, Our Mother will help us to purify and bring order into the affections of our heart, so that only her Son reigns in it now and forever. Most sweet heart of Mary, guard my heart and prepare a safe way for it.
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:93; 98-9

• Our Lady of Rossano, in Calabria. It is said that the Saracens, seeking to surprise the town of Rossano, where they had already planted ladders, were repulsed by Our Lady, who appeared attired in purple, and holding in her hand a lighted torch; this so terrified them, that they took to flight. — Gabriel de Barry. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Rossano (in Calabria, Italy). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• “Madonna della Rossano”. Calabria, Italy. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• “Notre Dame de Rossano”. (1040). (http://mariedenazareth.com)
• Our Lady of Mt. Berico (near Vicenza, Italy). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• “Madonna della Mt. Berico”. Near Vicenza, Italy. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)