Mental or interior prayer (as distinct from vocal prayer, which normally is expressed by set formulas) begins with a serious consideration of the truths of the Faith, with a view to their practical application to our daily lives. During mental prayer, you grow in the knowledge of your faith and acquire principles of right living by applying yourself to prolonged …
Prayer is necessary because (1) God has commanded us to pray, and (2) it is an unconditional means of obtaining grace. The need for prayer is rooted in man’s very nature as a creature of God who receives gifts from His generosity. 1. Prayer is necessary because God has commanded us to pray. The First Commandment of God binds man …
The four purposes of prayer are: (1) adoration, (2) thanksgiving, (3) repentance, and (4) petition. 1. Adoration. Our first and foremost duty is to acknowledge God’s supreme dominion over us, as our Creator and Father; our absolute dependence on Him, as His creatures and children; and His supreme excellence. The worship of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is called …
We should pray with (1) attention, (2) a spirit of humility, (3) a deep desire for the graces we need from God, (4) a loving trust in God’s goodness, (5) resignation to God’s will, and (6) perseverance. 1. We should pray with attention by forming in our minds the intentions of praying well and of fixing our minds on God. …
The Christian family shows the Savior’s living presence in the world through (1) the mutual love of the husband and wife, (2) the spouses’ generous fruitfulness, (3) their fidelity and unity, and (4) the loving relationships among its members. 1. The Christian family shows the Savior’s living presence in the world through the mutual love of husband and wife. The …
A sacrifice to God consists in a lawful priest offering some befitting gift to God, as a victim in the name of the people, in order to acknowledge God’s absolute sovereignty over creation. In a sacrifice, man gives to God something of his own property; this surrender occurs through real or symbolic destruction, whereby the gift is removed from its …
The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Under the appearance of bread and wine, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ are really, truly, and substantially present for the nourishment of souls and as a sacrifice of the Church.
The Church celebrates the Eucharist in obedience to the words of Jesus at the Last Supper: “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). At this time, Jesus gave the Apostles both the command and the power to bring the Eucharist to us. The celebration of the Eucharist is the Church’s way of doing what Jesus did at the Last …
When a priest pronounces the words of Eucharistic consecration at Mass, the bread and wine, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, which were given for us in sacrifice. At the Last Supper, Jesus’ words and power made Him really and substantially present under the outward appearances of bread and wine …
Our Lord Jesus Himself, true God and true man, is really and substantially present, in a mysterious way, under the appearances of bread and wine. After the priest speaks the words of consecration, the appearances of bread and wine remain, meaning that bread and wine appear to be there but are not really there substantially. At the Last Supper, when …