27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

ORATIONS: EUCHARISTIC ADORATION. In part 8 of my series on The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church US Bishops’ document, I’m reflecting on the 2nd of the 7 prayers used to end Benediction. The 7 ‘themes’ are: Memorial; True God/True Man; Paschal Lamb of God; Heavenly Bread of Angels; Spirit and Truth; Life-Giving Bread/Viaticum; and Paschal Mystery Renewed. Past articles on this Revival, the whole document, and a free study guide, are on our Parish website: stmaryrutherford.org; click on National Eucharistic Revival Bulletin Articles.

BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY. Of the 7 orations prescribed for Eucharistic Adoration, prayed before the Ordained Minister imparts the Eucharistic Blessing, only one of them mentions the Blessed Virgin Mary. Some find it strange that Christ’s Mother and the Eucharist are joined in any way, shape or form. For, as far as we know, our Blessed Mother was NOT at the Last Supper; nor does the Bible say she came to know Him “in the breaking of bread.” (Luke 24:35) In fact, our belief that the Risen Lord appeared to His Mother is not based on Scripture – which has no account of such an event – but on logic. For what loving son would not console his grieving mother?

As Saint John Paul II noted, the Bible names very few of those who saw the post-Resurrection Risen Lord; Saint Paul said He appeared to 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) but names none! That our Blessed Mother did NOT go with the other women to the tomb on Easter morning – but WAS with them at the foot of the Cross suggests she had already seen Him on Easter morning. So deep was her faith that He would rise again on the third day, the Church suggests – on every Saturday that does not have a prescribed Saint or Feast – that we offer a votive Mass in our Blessed Mother’s honor. For on Holy Saturday – the day between Good Friday and Easter – she waited with firm hope; by using Marian orations on Saturday Masses that highlight her faith, we can deepen our hope and trust in the Risen Lord.

NO INCARNATION = NO EUCHARIST! By accepting God’s awesome offer to become His Son’s Mother, the Virgin enabled God’s Word to become Flesh. As True God, Jesus is one with the Father and Holy Spirit in the Most Blessed Trinity. But by being conceived and borne in the Virgin’s womb, Jesus is True Man and had His Mother’s DNA. Since the Eucharist is His True Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, we receive a share of HER DNA when we receive Holy Communion! Even science attests to this theology or Mariology, for when we receive donated blood, the donor’s DNA is sometimes found in us, even a few days later!

So, while our Blessed Mother has no role in six of the Sacraments, she has a primary part in the Most Blessed Sacrament: the Eucharist. For she provided the necessary elements: her Son’s Flesh and Blood – that becomes the Eucharist! If you’re scratching your head wondering how this can be – you’re in good company: even the great philosopher-theologian, Saint Thomas Aquinas – struggled with it – but he accepted it – in faith.

Here’s how Fr. Hugh Barbour, O. Praem., a writer for Catholic Answers, a periodical to which I subscribe, explains it: “The DNA Our Lord had from Our Lady as her son is present in the Holy Eucharist, like all the other necessary components of his body. Even so, this DNA is not present in the Eucharist in a manner that the senses would be able to perceive, since Our Lord’s bodily qualities are present in a substantial mode, perceptible to faith and understanding but not the senses, not even his senses.”

So, while we do NOT receive the body or blood of Christ’s Mother when we receive His Body and Blood, she is ‘present’ in a unique way. And since she reigns with Him, she is surely close to all who are dear to her Son, as a loving mother would be!

With God’s love and my prayers,

Very Rev. Michael J. Kreder, VF, KCHS